Simulations of Near-surface Convection
A more realistic description of the uppermost part of the convection zone is possible through detailed three-dimensional and time-dependent hydrodynamical simulations, taking into account radiative transfer in the atmosphere. Such simulations successfully reproduce the observed surface structure of solar granulation, as well as detailed profiles of lines in the solar radiative spectrum, without the use of parametrized models of turbulence. The simulations only cover a very small fraction of the solar radius, and are evidently far too time-consuming to be included in general solar modeling. Extrapolation of an averaged simulation through the adiabatic part of the convection zone by means of a model based on the mixing-length description, demonstrated that the adiabat predicted by the simulation was essentially consistent with the depth of the solar convection zone as determined from helioseismology. An extension of mixing-length theory, including effects of turbulent pressure and kinetic energy, based on numerical simulations of near-surface convection, has been developed.
This section is adapted from the Christensen-Dalsgaard review of helioseismology, Chapter IV.
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