Reversals of the solar dipole

TL;DR

This paper investigates how magnetic fluctuations influence the solar magnetic dipole reversal, proposing that fluctuations allow the dipole to persist during reversals contrary to traditional mean-field dynamo predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a statistical approach to explain the persistence of the solar dipole during reversals, highlighting the role of magnetic fluctuations in this process.

Findings

Magnetic fluctuations can cause the dipole to persist through reversals.

Statistical estimates align with mean-field dynamo theory results.

Fluctuations are key to understanding solar magnetic dipole behavior.

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.