  We compute, for several solar models, the rates P at which the solar radial p
modes are expected to be excited. The solar models are computed with two
different local treatments of convection : the classical mixing-length theory
(MLT hereafter) and Canuto, Goldmann and Mazzitelli(1996, CGM hereafter)'s
formulation. For one set of solar models (EMLT and ECGM models), the atmosphere
is gray and assumes Eddington's approximation. For a second set of models (KMLT
and KCGM models), the atmosphere is built using a T(tau) law which has been
obtained from a Kurucz's model atmosphere computed with the same local
treatment of convection. The mixing-length parameter in the model atmosphere is
chosen so as to provide a good agreement between synthetic and observed Balmer
line profiles, while the mixing-length parameter in the interior model is
calibrated so that the model reproduces the solar radius at solar age. For the
MLT treatment, the rates P do depend significantly on the properties of the
atmosphere. On the other hand, for the CGM treatment, differences in P between
the ECGM and the KCGM models are very small compared to the error bars attached
to the seismic measurements. The excitation rates P for modes from the EMLT
model are significantly under-estimated compared with the solar seismic
constraints. The KMLT model results in intermediate values for P and shows also
an important discontinuity in the temperature gradient and the convective
velocity. On the other hand, the KCGM model and the ECGM model yield values for
P closer to the seismic data than the EMLT and KMLT models. We conclude that
the solar p-mode excitation rates provide valuable constraints and according to
the present investigation cleary favor the CGM treatment with respect to the
MLT.
