The Unusual Minimum of Solar Cycle 23 Explained

Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

The minimum in activity between solar cycle 23 and 24 has been the deepest in the space age, with an unusually large number of days without sunspots and weak solar dipolar field strength. This has had consequences for the heliosphere and planetary atmospheres - given the weak solar wind, low solar irradiance and radio flux and historically high values of cosmic ray flux that has characterized this minimum epoch. The origin of this peculiar minimum has not yet been clearly understood. Here we present the first theoretical explanation of this deep minimum based on simulations of the solar dynamo mechanism - which seeks to explain the origin and variability of solar magnetic fields. Our simulations have uncovered a somewhat surprising explanation, which however, provides a consistent solution to both of the unusual features of this minimum; namely, the long period when sunspots were missing and the very weak solar polar field strength.

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