Paper detail

Helioseismic Fréchet Traveltime Kernels in Spherical Coordinates

Seismic traveltime measurements are a crucial tool in the investigation of the solar interior, particularly in the examination of fine-scale structure. Traditional analysis of traveltimes relies on a geometrical ray picture of acoustic wave propagation, which assumes high frequencies. However, it is well-known that traveltimes obtained from finite-frequency waves are sensitive to variations of medium parameters in a wide Fresnel zone around the ray path. To address this problem, Fréchet traveltime sensitivity kernels have previously been developed. These kernels use a more realistic approximation of the wave propagation to obtain a linear relationship between traveltimes and variations in medium parameters. Fréchet kernels take into account the actual frequency content of the measured waves and, thus, reproduce the Fresnel zone. Kernel theory has been well-developed in previous work on plane-parallel models of the Sun for use in local helioseismology. Our primary purpose is to apply kernel theory to much larger scales and in a spherical geometry. We also present kernel theory in a different way, using basic functional analytic methods, in the hope that this approach provides an even clearer understanding of the theory, as well as a set of tools for calculating kernels. Our results are very general and can be used to develop kernels for sensitivity to sound speed, density, magnetic fields, fluid flows, and any other medium parameter which can affect wave propagation.