Flows in the Polar Regions of the Sun: Limits of Observing from the Ecliptic

Abstract:

Helioseismic programs from the ecliptic plane have enabled us to map solar flows for a large part of the Sun. The solar poles, however, remain largely unexplored. Flux-transport dynamo models rely on meridional flows transporting magnetic flux to the polar regions, however, high-latitude flows remain a mystery. We use data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) to demonstrate the limits of what can be done from the ecliptic plane, and how that limits our knowledge of the high-latitude Sun.