scholarly journals Hemispheric injection of magnetic helicity by surface flux transport

2019 ◽  
Vol 631 ◽  
pp. A138 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Hawkes ◽  
A. R. Yeates

Aims. We estimate the injection of relative magnetic helicity into the solar atmosphere by surface flux transport over 27 solar cycles (1700–2009). Methods. We determine the radial magnetic field evolution using two separate surface flux transport models: one driven by magnetogram inputs and another by statistical active region insertion guided by the sunspot number record. The injection of relative magnetic helicity is then computed from this radial magnetic field together with the known electric field in the flux transport models. Results. Neglecting flux emergence, solar rotation is the dominant contributor to the helicity injection. At high latitudes, the injection is always negative/positive in the northern/southern hemisphere, while at low latitudes the injection tends to have the opposite sign when integrated over the full solar cycle. The overall helicity injection in a given solar cycle depends on the balance between these two contributions. This net injected helicity correlates well with the end-of-cycle axial dipole moment.

2019 ◽  
Vol 632 ◽  
pp. A87 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Petrovay ◽  
M. Talafha

Context. The choice of free parameters in surface flux transport (SFT) models describing the evolution of the large-scale poloidal magnetic field of the Sun is critical for the correct reproduction of the polar magnetic flux built up during a solar cycle, which is known to be a good predictor of the amplitude of the upcoming cycle. Aims. For an informed choice of parameters it is important to understand the effects of and interplay among the various parameters and to optimize the models for the polar magnetic field. Methods. Here we present the results of a large-scale systematic study of the parameter space in an SFT model where the source term representing the net effect of tilted flux emergence was chosen to represent a typical, average solar cycle as described by observations. Results. Comparing the results with observational constraints on the spatiotemporal variation of the polar magnetic field, as seen in magnetograms for the last four solar cycles, we mark allowed and excluded regions in the 3D parameter space defined by the flow amplitude u0, the magnetic diffusivity η and the decay time scale τ, for three different assumed meridional flow profiles. Conclusions. Without a significant decay term in the SFT equation (i.e., for τ >  10 yr) the global dipole moment reverses too late in the cycle for all flow profiles and parameters, providing independent supporting evidence for the need of a decay term, even in the case of identical cycles. An allowed domain is found to exist for τ values in the 5–10 yr range for all flow profiles considered. Generally higher values of η (500–800 km2 s−1) are preferred though some solutions with lower η are still allowed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (S271) ◽  
pp. 94-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. L. DeRosa ◽  
A. S. Brun ◽  
J. T. Hoeksema

AbstractTime series of photospheric magnetic field maps from two observatories, along with data from an evolving surface-flux transport model, are decomposed into their constituent spherical harmonic modes. The evolution of these spherical harmonic spectra reflect the modulation of bipole emergence rates through the solar activity cycle, and the subsequent dispersal, shear, and advection of magnetic flux patterns across the solar photosphere. In this article, we discuss the evolution of the dipolar and quadrupolar modes throughout the past three solar cycles (Cycles 21–23), as well as their relation to the reversal of the polar dipole during each solar maximum, and by extension to aspects of the operation of the global solar dynamo.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S264) ◽  
pp. 202-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina N. Kitiashvili ◽  
Alexander G. Kosovichev

AbstractSolar activity is a determining factor for space climate of the Solar system. Thus, predicting the magnetic activity of the Sun is very important. However, our incomplete knowledge about the dynamo processes of generation and transport of magnetic fields inside Sun does not allow us to make an accurate forecast. For predicting the solar cycle properties use the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to assimilate the sunspot data into a simple dynamo model. This method takes into account uncertainties of both the dynamo model and the observed sunspot number series. The method has been tested by calculating predictions of the past cycles using the observed annual sunspot numbers only until the start of these cycles, and showed a reasonable agreement between the predicted and actual data. After this, we have calculated a prediction for the upcoming solar cycle 24, and found that it will be approximately 30% weaker than the previous one, confirming some previous expectations. In addition, we have investigated the properties of the dynamo model during the solar minima, and their relationship to the strength of the following solar cycles. The results show that prior the weak cycles, 20 and 23, and the upcoming cycle, 24, the vector-potential of the poloidal component of magnetic field and the magnetic helicity substantial decrease. The decrease of the poloidal field corresponds to the well-known correlation between the polar magnetic field strength at the minimum and the sunspot number at the maximum. However, the correlation between the magnetic helicity and the future cycle strength is new, and should be further investigated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 62
Author(s):  
Melinda Nagy ◽  
Alexandre Lemerle ◽  
Paul Charbonneau

We examine the impact of surface inflows into activity belts on the operation of solar cycle models based on the Babcock–Leighton mechanism of poloidal field regeneration. Towards this end we introduce in the solar cycle model of Lemerle & Charbonneau (2017. ApJ 834: 133) a magnetic flux-dependent variation of the surface meridional flow based on the axisymmetric inflow parameterization developped by Jiang et al. (2010. ApJ 717: 597). The inflow dependence on emerging magnetic flux thus introduces a bona fide nonlinear backreaction mechanism in the dynamo loop. For solar-like inflow speeds, our simulation results indicate a decrease of 10–20% in the strength of the global dipole building up at the end of an activity cycle, in agreement with earlier simulations based on linear surface flux transport models. Our simulations also indicate a significant stabilizing effect on cycle characteristics, in that individual cycle amplitudes in simulations including inflows show less scatter about their mean than in the absence of inflows. Our simulations also demonstrate an enhancement of cross-hemispheric coupling, leading to a significant decrease in hemispheric cycle amplitude asymmetries and temporal lag in hemispheric cycle onset. Analysis of temporally extended simulations also indicate that the presence of inflows increases the probability of cycle shutdown following an unfavorable sequence of emergence events. This results ultimately from the lower threshold nonlinearity built into our solar cycle model, and presumably operating in the sun as well.


2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. A51
Author(s):  
Soumitra Hazra ◽  
Allan Sacha Brun ◽  
Dibyendu Nandy

Context. Predictions of solar cycle 24 obtained from advection-dominated and diffusion-dominated kinematic dynamo models are different if the Babcock–Leighton mechanism is the only source of the poloidal field. Some previous studies argue that the discrepancy arises due to different memories of the solar dynamo for advection- and diffusion-dominated solar convection zones. Aims. We aim to investigate the differences in solar cycle memory obtained from advection-dominated and diffusion-dominated kinematic solar dynamo models. Specifically, we explore whether inclusion of Parker’s mean-field α effect, in addition to the Babcock–Leighton mechanism, has any impact on the memory of the solar cycle. Methods. We used a kinematic flux transport solar dynamo model where poloidal field generation takes place due to both the Babcock–Leighton mechanism and the mean-field α effect. We additionally considered stochastic fluctuations in this model and explored cycle-to-cycle correlations between the polar field at minima and toroidal field at cycle maxima. Results. Solar dynamo memory is always limited to only one cycle in diffusion-dominated dynamo regimes while in advection-dominated regimes the memory is distributed over a few solar cycles. However, the addition of a mean-field α effect reduces the memory of the solar dynamo to within one cycle in the advection-dominated dynamo regime when there are no fluctuations in the mean-field α effect. When fluctuations are introduced in the mean-field poloidal source a more complex scenario is evident, with very weak but significant correlations emerging across a few cycles. Conclusions. Our results imply that inclusion of a mean-field α effect in the framework of a flux transport Babcock–Leighton dynamo model leads to additional complexities that may impact memory and predictability of predictive dynamo models of the solar cycle.


2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1171-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Apostolov ◽  
D. Altadill ◽  
M. Todorova

Abstract. Solar cycle variations of the amplitudes of the 27-day solar rotation period reflected in the geomagnetic activity index Ap, solar radio flux F10.7cm and critical frequency foF2 for mid-latitude ionosonde station Moscow from the maximum of sunspot cycle 18 to the maximum of cycle 23 are examined. The analysis shows that there are distinct enhancements of the 27-day amplitudes for foF2 and Ap in the late declining phase of each solar cycle while the amplitudes for F10.7cm decrease gradually, and the foF2 and Ap amplitude peaks are much larger for even-numbered solar cycles than for the odd ones. Additionally, we found the same even-high and odd-low pattern of foF2 for other mid-latitude ionosonde stations in Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This property suggests that there exists a 22-year cycle in the F2-layer variability coupled with the 22-year cycle in the 27-day recurrence of geomagnetic activity. Key words. Ionosphere (mid-latitude ionosphere; ionosphere- magnetosphere interactions) – Magnetospheric physics (solar wind-magnetosphere interactions)


2004 ◽  
Vol 219 ◽  
pp. 552-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Knaack ◽  
J. O. Stenflo

We have investigated the temporal evolution of the solar magnetic field during solar cycles 20, 21 and 22 by means of spherical harmonic decomposition and subsequent time series analysis. A 33 yr and a 25 yr time series of daily magnetic maps of the solar photosphere, recorded at the Mt. Wilson and NSO/Kitt Peak observatories respectively, were used to calculate the spherical coefficients of the radial magnetic field. Fourier and wavelet analysis were then applied to deduce the temporal variations. We compare the results of the two datasets and present examples of zonal modes which show significant variations, e. g. with a period of approx. 2.0—2.5 years. We provide evidence that this quasi-biennial oscillation originates mainly from the southern hemisphere. Furthermore, we show that low degree modes with odd l — m exhibit periods of 29.2 and 28.1 days while modes with even l — m show a dominant period of 26.9 days. A resonant modal structure of the solar magnetic field (apart from the 22 yr cycle) has not been found.


2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (S294) ◽  
pp. 157-158
Author(s):  
Shangbin Yang ◽  
Hongqi Zhang

AbstractTo investigate the characteristics of large scale and long term evolution of magnetic helicity with solar cycles, we use the method of Local Correlation Tracking (LCT) to estimate the magnetic helicity evolution over the 23rd solar cycle from 1996 to 2009 by using 795 MDI magnetic synoptic charts. The main results are: the hemispheric helicity rule still holds in general, i.e. the large-scale negative (positive) magnetic helicity dominates the northern (southern) hemisphere. However, the large scale magnetic helicity fluxes show the same sign in both hemispheres around 2001 and 2005. The global, large scale magnetic helicity flux over the solar disk changes from negative value at the beginning of the 23rd solar cycle to positive value at the end of the cycle, which also shows the similar trend from the normalized magnetic flux by using the magnetic flux. The net accumulated magnetic helicity is negative in the period between 1996 and 2009.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (S327) ◽  
pp. 82-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Rodríguez Gómez ◽  
L. E. Antunes Vieira ◽  
A. Dal Lago ◽  
J. Palacios ◽  
L. A. Balmaceda ◽  
...  

AbstractSome key physical processes that impact the evolution of Earth's atmosphere on time-scale from days to millennia, such as the EUV emissions, are determined by the solar magnetic field. However, observations of the solar spectral irradiance are restricted to the last few solar cycles and are subject to large uncertainties. We present a physics-based model to reconstruct short-term solar spectral irradiance (SSI) variability. The coronal magnetic field is estimated to employ the Potential Field Source Surface extrapolation (PFSS) based on observational synoptic charts and magnetic flux transport model. The emission is estimated to employ the CHIANTI atomic database 8.0. The performance of the model is compared to the emission observed by TIMED/SORCE.


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