Seismic detection of stellar tachoclines

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400005, India e-mail: anwesh@tifr.res.in

Corresponding author: H. M. Antia, antia@tifr.res.in

Received: 2 January 2001
Accepted: 29 January 2001

Abstract

Helioseismic inversions for the rotation rate have established the presence of a tachocline near the base of the solar convection zone. We show that the tachocline produces a characteristic oscillatory signature in the splitting coefficients of low degree modes, which could be observed on distant stars. Using this signature it may be possible to determine the characteristics of the tachocline using only low degree modes. The limitations of this technique in terms of observational uncertainties are discussed, to assess the possibility of detecting tachoclines on distant stars.