Progress in sunspot helioseismology

Abstract

Local helioseismology is a set of methods that are used to study wave propagation and infer physical conditions in the solar interior. Sunspots are a particularly challenging target for local helioseismology. In this review, I will show that some new methods (magnetoconvection simulations and numerical wave propagation simulations) lead to shallow sunspot models that are apparently inconsistent with traditional inferences from local helioseismology. In addition, I will show that inferences for the depth structure of moat flows are not in general agreement either.