Where are the solar magnetic poles?

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of a periodic signal in the solar magnetic field indicating that the Sun's magnetic axis is misaligned with its rotation axis, challenging existing solar dynamo models.

Contribution

It provides the first observational evidence of magnetic axis tilt in the Sun, which was previously assumed to be aligned with the rotation axis.

Findings

Detected a monthly periodic magnetic signal at all latitudes.

Revealed the Sun's magnetic axis is not aligned with its rotation axis.

Challenges current solar dynamo theories.

Abstract

Regardless of the physical origin of stellar magnetic fields - fossil or dynamo induced - an inclination angle between the magnetic and rotation axes is very often observed. Absence of observational evidence in this direction in the solar case has led to generally assume that its global magnetic field and rotation axes are well aligned. We present the detection of a monthly periodic signal of the photospheric solar magnetic field at all latitudes, and especially near the poles, revealing that the main axis of the Sun's magnetic field is not aligned with the surface rotation axis. This result reinforces the view of our Sun as a common intermediate-mass star. Furthermore this detection challenges and imposes a strong observational constraint to modern solar dynamo theories.