The solar magnetic field since 1700: I. Characteristics of sunspot group emergence and reconstruction of the butterfly diagram

TL;DR

This paper reconstructs the historical butterfly diagram of sunspot group emergence from 1700 onward using empirical data, aiding long-term studies of the Sun's magnetic field evolution.

Contribution

It provides a detailed reconstruction of the sunspot emergence pattern over three centuries based on historical records and statistical analysis.

Findings

Sunspot emergence characteristics vary with cycle phase and strength.

The reconstructed butterfly diagram extends back to 1700.

Empirical relationships enable long-term magnetic field studies.

Abstract

We use the historic record of sunspot groups compiled by the Royal Greenwich Observatory together with the sunspot number to derive the statistical properties of sunspot group emergence in dependence of cycle phase and strength. In particular we discuss the latitude, longitude, area and tilt angle of sunspot groups as functions of the cycle strength and of time during the solar cycle. Using these empirical characteristics the time-latitude diagram of sunspot group emergence (butterfly diagram) is reconstructed from 1700 onward on the basis of the Wolf and group sunspot numbers. This reconstruction will be useful in studies of the long-term evolution of the Sun's magnetic field.