A homogeneous database of sunspot areas covering more than 130 years

TL;DR

This paper creates a uniform, long-term sunspot area database by combining multiple observatory records, enabling more accurate solar activity and irradiance studies, and highlighting the importance of proper calibration.

Contribution

It develops a cross-calibrated, homogeneous sunspot area time series from diverse data sources, improving the reliability of solar activity reconstructions.

Findings

The combined dataset covers over 130 years of solar activity.

Uncalibrated data can significantly bias irradiance variation estimates.

The composite dataset refines understanding of solar influence on climate.

Abstract

The historical record of sunspot areas is a valuable and widely used proxy of solar activity and variability. The Royal Greenwich Observatory (RGO) regularly measured this and other parameters between 1874 and 1976. After that time records from a number of different observatories are available. These, however, show systematic differences and often have significants gaps. Our goal is to obtain a uniform and complete sunspot area time series by combining different data sets. A homogeneus composite of sunspot areas is essential for different applications in solar physics, among others for irradiance reconstructions. Data recorded simultaneously at different observatories are statistically compared in order to determine the intercalibration factors. Using these data we compile a complete and cross-calibrated time series. The Greenwich data set is used as a basis until 1976, the Russian data (a compilation of observations made at stations in the former USSR) between 1977 and 1985 and data compiled by the USAF network since 1986. Other data sets (Rome, Yunnan, Catania) are used to fill up the remaining gaps. Using the final sunspot areas record the Photometric Sunspot Index is calculated. We also show that the use of uncalibrated sunspot areas data sets can seriously affect the estimate of irradiance variations. Our analysis implies that there is no basis for the claim that UV irradiance variations have a much smaller influence on climate than total solar irradiance variations.