A model of something is different from the real thing but can be used to learn something about the real thing. A bar magnet, for instance, can represent the Sun's magnetic field. The basic idea of mathematical modeling is to find a mathematical relationship that behaves in the same ways as the objects or processes under investigation. A mathematical model may give insight about how something really works or may fit observations very well without any intuitive meaning. The usefulness of a model can be tested by comparing its predictions to actual observations in the real world.
SOHO studies probe the material below a sunspot and discover significant sound speed increases.
SOHO discovers that the solar surface is covered by a 'magnetic carpet' of structures which follow the boundaries of surface granulation cells.