Energy transport in the Sun

Hi -- I'm willing to ask politly for a few more details. My
understanding is that the time delay comes from the continued
absorption and readmission of photons (in greater and greater numbers
at lower and lower energies) as they work their way up through the
radiation zone. So a simple-minded guess at the lowered estimates for
travel time would be that the calculated opacity of the solar interior
has been revised downward. Is that what's happened? If so, what
developments led to this revision? If not, what specific changes to
the solar model led to the greatly reduced estimate of the time delay?

Thanks,
Stephen

Chris L Peterson wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 02 Aug 2004 18:38:18 GMT, "Mick" wrote:

Well, I hope you feel smart knowing this, but your question still hasn't
been answered.

Of course it has. The reason (which Sam stated) is that the solar model has
changed. He also provided some nice links summarizing the current model. Do your
own homework if you want to find pictures of the older model (Martin has a
reference in his original question).

Sam didn't write a treatise on what has changed, but he succinctly explained the
reason for the difference in values over 20 years. If you want more detail, and
are willing to ask in a polite way, I'm sure Sam would be happy to oblige.

Of what value is your empty criticism to anyone, however?

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Couldn't you wait 'till next month to ask the question? I've been
reading everything I can get my hands on and the last book is on the Solar
science and I just finished half the book. The last chapter was on the
neutrino and how they are created and changed and how they were counted all
the way up to 1995. Given another month and I'd have finished the book and
could be updated with this thread. Slow down guys and let me catch up :-(
--
Michael A. Barlow
"Martin Frey" wrote in message
...
1982, Robert Noyes, The Sun Our Star, says:

The energy released in (the core) as a gamma ray ... is destined to
spend the next 10 million years struggling to the surface.

BUT 2002, Freedman and Kauffmann, Universe, says:

As a result, it takes approximately 170,000 years for energy created
at the sun's centre to travel 696,000 km to the solar surface and
finally escape as sunlight.

Any thoughts on why this number has changed so radically in 20 years?
(Or if either or neither is right?)

--
Martin Frey
http://www.hadastro.org.uk
N 51 02 E 0 47