Reversals of the solar dipole

Abstract

During a solar magnetic field reversal the magnetic dipole moment does not vanish, but migrates between poles, in contradiction to the predictions of mean-field dynamo theory. We try to explain this as a consequence of magnetic fluctuations. We exploit the statistics of fluctuations to estimate observable signatures. Simple statistical estimates, taken with results from mean-field dynamo theory, suggest that a non-zero dipole moment may persist through a global field reversal. Fluctuations in the solar magnetic field may play a key role in explaining reversals of the dipolar component of the field.

1 figure, 4 pages

References in corpus (4)

• Persistent Magnetic Wreaths in a Rapidly Rotating Sun
• Solar Magnetic Field Reversals and the Role of Dynamo Families
• The butterfly diagram in the 18th century
• Basal magnetic flux and the local solar dynamo

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Grand Minima and North-South Asymmetry of Solar Activity
• Minicharged Particles from the Sun: A Cutting-Edge Bound
• Magnetic fields in fully convective M-dwarfs: oscillatory dynamos vs bistability
• Cyclic variations in the main components of the solar large-scale magnetic field
• Reversals of the solar magnetic dipole in the light of observational data and simple dynamo models
• Galactic winds and the origin of large-scale magnetic fields
• Meridional flow velocities on solar-like stars with known activity cycles
• Small-scale turbulent dynamo for low-Prandtl number fluid: comparison of the theory with results of numerical simulations