Numerical simulation of the solar granulation

The solar granulation was simulated by numerical solution of the multidimensional, time-dependent, nonlinear Navier-Stokes equations applied to the solar atmosphere. Granules may be explained as buoyantly rising bubbles created at the level where T = 8000 K and which have collapsed into vortex rings. The calculation is in quantitative agreement with observations and has a number of implications for solar physics and convection theory.