https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201716002005
An opaque Sun? The potential for future, higher opacities to solve the solar abundance problem
1
Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301 USA
2
Stellar Astrophysics Centre, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Ny Munkegade 120, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
* e-mail: rtrampedach@SpaceScience.org
Published online: 27 October 2017
Last year Bailey et al. announced their measurement of iron opacity that increases the Rosseland mean at the base of the solar convection zone by 7%. I ask what happens if the absorption by other elements is also stronger than predicted so far.
Artificially increasing the absorption by other elements, proportional to the number of bound electrons in the absorber (reflecting our remaining ignorance of atomic physics) gives an opacity increase for a solar model, that has the potential to solve the long-standing solar abundance problem.
Conclusion: Opacities are the likely source of the solar abundance problem, and the solar abundances are likely closer to those of Asplund et al. (2009) than to the various classic sets of abundances.
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