1. The Sun as a whole: activity as seen by helioseismology
A.C. Birch
(Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research)

2. Low degree (ell = 0, 1, 2) mode frequencies change with the solar cycle (BiSON data)
Red = Scaled 10.7cm flux
It’s well know that the frequencies of the oscillations vary with solar cycle, with the frequencies being at their maximum at solar maximum.
Here we see a plot of the frequency shifts observed in BiSON data over the last 3 and a half activity cycles.
Overplotted in red is a scaled version of the 10.7cm flux and we can clearly see the 11yr activity cycle in the data.
We can see that the agreement is good but nor perfect.
shift  0.01% of mode frequency
From Anne-Marie Broomhall

3. Ok. But why? What else can be measured?
Dependence on mode parameters:
Frequency (upper turning point)
Angular degree (lower turning point)
Other mode properties:
Damping rates
Amplitudes (energy input rate)
Flows:
Differential rotation / zonal flows (Global helio.)
Meridional circulation (local helio.)
3d flows (local helio.)

4. Outline Cycle variations of mode parameters
Flows associated with the cycle
Future directions

5. The cycle in mode parameters

6. Libbrecht and Woodard (1990, Nature)
BBSO data, angular degree up to 140
Reminder: 1986 is cycle min., 1988 cycle beginning

7. Cycle dependence changes with frequency (Libbrecht & Woodard, 1990)

8. Latitude inversion of frequency shifts (Libbrecht & Woodard, 1990)
Solid Line = inversion of even splittings (m dependence)
Squares = limb brightness
Dashed line = limb brightness same resolution as inversion result

9. (medium-ell) frequency changes come from latitudes of activity
Figure from R. Howe, method of Howe et al. (2002), GONG data

10. Frequency dependence of low degree modes
Cycle 22
Cycle 23
Cycle 24
Black=average frequency shift
Red=10.7cm flux
Blue=ISN
What is going on?
Claim: change in the range of depths where the solar-cycle changes are happening
We can also look at the frequency dependence of the oscillations.
Here we’ve smoothed the shifts to remove the shorter term variations.
Again we can see the discrepancies in the declining phase of cycle 23.
We can also see the unusual behaviour in the low frequency range in cycle 23.
The oscillations appear to exhibit almost no solar cycle frequency shift. And this behaviour covers almost the entirety of c23.
Anne-Marie Broomhall
Basu et al. (2012)

11. High-ell mode frequencies vary with the solar cycle also (MDI dynamics)
1996 (min.)
Spring-2001 (near max)
Fall-2001
(near max)
More complicated than a simple surface term
MPSI = ``magnetic plage strength index”
Physics?
Rhodes et al. (2014)

12. Interpretation An extensive and rich literature
Physical origin of frequency changes:
Changes in (MHD) turbulence near the surface (e.g., Goldreich et al. 1991, Dziembowski et al., 2001)
Changes in magnetic field in chromosphere (e.g. Jain & Roberts, 1993)
Changes in subsurface structure (e.g. Baldner & Basu, 2008)
General agreement (I think) that thermal effects alone are not enough (Balmforth et al. 1996)
(the above are not mutually exclusive)

13. A point to remember: energy input doesn’t change!
Mode amplitude
Damping
rate
Mode power
Energy input
Salabert & Jimenéz-Reyes (2006, LOWL data)

14. Flows associated with the cycle

15. Zonal flows vary with the cycle
GONG data
Ring diagram measurements
Red = fast rotation
Blue = slow rotation
Scale is +/- 25 m/s
Black contours = |B|
Polynomial fit removed at each time
Fast on equatorward side of activity. Appears before (large scale) activity.
Komm et al. (2013)

16. Meridional circulation varies with the cycle
GONG data
Ring diagram measurements
Red = Northward
Blue = Southward
Scale is +/- 25 m/s
Black contours = |B|
Convergence toward active latitudes
Komm et al. (2013)

17. Active regions have near-surface inflows
Cooling drives inflows into AR: Spruit 2003
Gizon, Spruit, Birch 2010

18. Flows before and during active region emergence (w/ Schunker, Braun)
HMI/SDO observations
Identify active regions that emerge into relatively quiet Sun
Make surface flow maps using helioseismology
Look at flows after averaging over 60 emergening active regions

19. Average over AR
B contours at 50,
100, 150 G

20. Zoom in
t = 34 hr AR
Max. flow 150 m/s
Inner circle: 30 Mm radius
Contours = |B|
at 50, 100, 150 G

21. Future directions
Connect global and local helioseismic measurements of the cycle:
Global modes: sunspots + plage + ?
Local helio: can potentially sort it out
A related point:
Geometry matters (even at ell=1).
Models (I think) need to take care of horizontal and vertical variations to understand cycle differences.
High ell mode frequencies are now available. This is an opportunity.

23. The end

24. Average over AR
Converging flow!
Note offset.

25. Zoom in
t = -13 hr AR
Max. flow 100 m/s
Inner circle: 30 Mm radius

26. Simoniello et al. (2013)