Effect of rotation on the tachoclinic transport

Abstract

We study the effect of rotation on sheared turbulence, due to differential rotation. By solving quasi-linear equations for the fluctuating fields, we derive turbulence amplitude and turbulent transport coefficients, taking into account the effects of shear and rotation on turbulence. We focus on the regions of the tachocline near the equator and the poles where the rotation and the shear are perpendicular and parallel, respectively. For parameter values typical of the tachocline, we show that the shear reduces both turbulence amplitude and transport, more strongly in the radial direction than in the horizontal one, resulting in an anisotropic turbulence. The rotation further reduces turbulence amplitude and transport at the equator whereas it does not have much effect near the pole. The interaction between the shear and the rotation is shown to give rise to a novel non diffusive flux of angular momentum, possibly offering a mechanism for the occurrence of a strong shear region in the solar interior.