Meridional flows from ring diagram analysis

In order to search for meridional circulation in the solar envelope, we hav e applied ring diagram analysis to a set of small regions over the surface. The helioseismic data consist of Solar Oscillation Investigation/Michelson Doppler Imager Dopplergrams taken over a time span of about 50 hr (similar to 3000 images) on 1998 June 20-22. The regions studied cover 115 degrees in latitude cantered on the equator and 30 degrees in longitude. We find po leward flows between r/ R. = 0.97 and the surface. There is no evidence in this depth range for the return path of these meridional flows. The tempora l stability of these flows will be discussed after the analysis of a synopt ic map obtained using the same technique.