We have studied solar cycle changes in the large frequency separations that
can be observed in Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network (BiSON) data. The
large frequency separation is often one of the first outputs from asteroseismic
studies because it can help constrain stellar properties like mass and radius.
We have used three methods for estimating the large separations: use of
individual p-mode frequencies, computation of the autocorrelation of
frequency-power spectra, and computation of the power spectrum of the power
spectrum. The values of the large separations obtained by the different methods
are offset from each other and have differing sensitivities to the realization
noise. A simple model was used to predict solar cycle variations in the large
separations, indicating that the variations are due to the well-known solar
cycle changes to mode frequency. However, this model is only valid over a
restricted frequency range. We discuss the implications of these results for
asteroseismology.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS, references
updated, corrections following proof
