Helioseismic constraints on photospheric abundances

Abstract

Recent analyses of solar photospheric abundances suggest that the oxygen abundance in the solar atmosphere needs to be revised downwards. We investigate if solar models constructed with lower oxygen and other heavy element abundances are consistent with helioseismic results. We find that revised abundances along with the current OPAL opacity tables are not consistent with seismic data. A significant upward revision of the opacity tables is required to make solar models with lower heavy element abundances that are consistent with helioseismology.