An Upper Limit on the Temporal Variations of the Solar Interior Stratification

We have analyzed changes in the acoustic oscillation eigenfrequencies measured over the past 7 years by the GONG, MDI, and LOWL instruments. The observations span the period from 1994 to 2001 that corresponds to half a solar cycle, from minimum to maximum solar activity. These data were inverted to look for a signature of the activity cycle on the solar stratification. A one-dimensional structure inversion was carried out to map the temporal variation of the radial distribution of the sound speed at the boundary between the radiative and convective zones. Such variation could indicate the presence of a toroidal magnetic field anchored in this region. We found no systematic variation with time of the stratification at the base of the convection zone. However, we can set an upper limit to any fractional change of the sound speed at the level of 3 × 10-5.