Penetration of Meridional Circulation Into the Radiative Solar Interior

Authors: Mark S. Miesch, Peter A. Gilman
Affiliation: National Center for Atmospheric Research, High Altitude Observatory

We show that meridional circulation, such as observed at the top of and in the solar convection zone (cz) by direct doppler and helioseismic techniques, cannot penetrate significantly below the bottom (~0.7R) of the overshoot layer at the bottom of the cz. Therefore solar dynamo models that rely on penetration as deep as to 0.6R are ruled out.