On the solar oblateness: The combined effect of a pole-equator difference in effective temperature and mechanical heating

With the help of a model atmosphere of the Sun we evaluate the pole-equator difference in flux (as measured by Dicke and Goldenberg) assuming the following type of pole-equator temperature difference (T=T_e–T_p): (a) T 2K for > ₀ (₀ 0.05); (b) T 10K for < ₀.The small T at all optical depths given by (a) could, for example, be due to a pole-equator difference in effective temperatures. At small optical depths a difference in mechanical heating could give rise to the larger temperature difference given by (b). We compare the results of our calculations with Dicke and Goldenberg's observations.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.