Rotation of the solar convection zone

The equilibrium rotation distribution for an adiabatically stratified stell ar magnetized convection zone is considered. In this case, the curl of the sum of the Coriolis and magnetic forces is rigidly related to the curl of t he viscous force, which is the source of entropy production. If the minimum property of entropy production attributable to this relation is realized, the most probable rotation distribution can be determined by minimizing the corresponding functional. Solutions that describe rotation distributions c lose to that observed in the solar convection zone are shown to exist. The presence of a (mainly toroidal) field is apparently necessary; otherwise, t he model is unstable. Calculations suggest that, for the present Sun, the c ondition of a weak relationship between the field pattern and the rotation law for the convection zone is satisfied. This circumstance probably facili tates the field generation. The field-generation zone is most likely locate d in the lower half of the solar convection zone. The field strength is typ ically similar to 10 kG. In the years of Maunder's minimum, the field gener ation could be inhibited due to a different rotation distribution.