  Recent advances in helioseismology, numerical simulations and mean-field
theory of solar differential rotation have shown that the meridional
circulation pattern may consist of two or more cells in each hemisphere of the
convection zone. According to the mean-field theory the double-cell circulation
pattern can result from the sign inversion of a nondiffusive part of the radial
angular momentum transport (the so-called $\Lambda$-effect) in the lower part
of the solar convection zone. Here, we show that this phenomenon {can result}
from the radial inhomogeneity of the Coriolis number, which depends on the
convective turnover time. We demonstrate that if this effect is taken into
account then the solar-like differential rotation and the double-cell
meridional circulation are both reproduced by the mean-field model. The model
is consistent with the distribution of turbulent velocity correlations
determined from observations by tracing motions of sunspots and large-scale
magnetic fields, indicating that these tracers are rooted just below the shear
layer.
