Coronal and heliospheric magnetic flux circulation and its relation to open solar flux evolution

Autor: Lockwood, Mike, Owens, Mathew J., Imber, Suzanne M., James, Matthew K., Bunce, Emma J., Yeoman, Timothy K.
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2017
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics
ISSN: 2169-9402
2169-9380
Popis: Solar cycle 24 is notable for three features that can be found in previous cycles but which have been unusually prominent: (1) sunspot activity was considerably greater in the northern/southern hemisphere during the rising/declining phase; (2) accumulation of open solar flux (OSF) during the rising phase was modest, but rapid in the early declining phase; (3) the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) tilt showed large fluctuations. We show that these features had a major influence on the progression of the cycle. All flux emergence causes a rise then a fall in OSF, but only OSF with foot points in opposing hemispheres progresses the solar cycle via the evolution of the polar fields. Emergence in one hemisphere, or symmetric emergence without some form of foot point exchange across the heliographic equator, causes poleward migrating fields of both polarities in one or both (respectively) hemispheres which temporarily enhance OSF but do not advance the polar field cycle. The heliospheric field observed near Mercury and Earth reflects the asymmetries in emergence. Using magnetograms, we find evidence that the poleward magnetic flux transport (of both polarities) is modulated by the HCS tilt, revealing an effect on OSF loss rate. The declining phase rise in OSF was caused by strong emergence in the southern hemisphere with an anomalously low HCS tilt. This implies the recent fall in the southern polar field will be sustained and that the peak OSF has limited implications for the polar field at the next sunspot minimum and hence for the amplitude of cycle 25.
Key Points The tilt of the heliospheric current sheet is shown to modulate the loss rate of open solar fluxNot all magnetic flux emerged in active regions contributes to the solar cycle evolution of solar polar regionsThe rise in open flux in the declining phase of cycle 24 was due to reduction of the loss rate as well as increase in the production rate
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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