An attempt to identify low l - low n solar acoustic modes

The low l solar acoustic spectrum has been measured with great accuracy (v/v 10^–4), for intermediate radial order modes, 11 n 34 (Jiménez et al., 1986; Grec, Fossat, and Pomerantz, 1983; Pallé et al., 1986). The measurement of the frequencies of modes of lower n, up to the fundamental one, are very important as they depart from asymptotic behaviour and, therefore, put more severe constraints on solar models. However, their amplitudes are very low (under 2 cm s^–1) and when compared to the solar velocity background noise (Jiménez et al., 1986), a S/N 1 is obtained. Taking advantage of the fact that lifetimes seem to be higher at lower frequencies (lower n values) (Jefferies et al., 1988; Elsworth et al., 1990), very long Doppler velocity measurements, obtained at Teide Observatory, have been used to increase S/N, therefore, providing the possibility to detect such modes. The frequencies observed are compared to those predicted by a solar model (Christensen-Dalsgaard, Däppen, and Lebreton, 1988), using the best equation of state yet computed (Mihalas, Däppen, and Hummer, 1988).