Deciphering Solar Magnetic Activity: Some (Unpopular) Thoughts On the Coupling of the Sun's "Weather" and "Climate"

TL;DR

This paper explores the complex magnetic activity cycles of the Sun, including decadal, quasi-annual, and multi-decadal variations, proposing a hypothesis linking these magnetic phenomena to solar weather and climate interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a new hypothesis connecting various observed solar magnetic cycles with the Sun's weather and climate effects, based on analysis of multiple observational data sets.

Findings

Identification of multiple solar magnetic cycles including 11-year, 80-year, and quasi-annual variations.

Proposed physical link between solar magnetic activity and Earth's climate variability.

Illustration of episodic magnetic behavior through historical and contemporary observations.

Abstract

The Sun exhibits episodic surges of magnetic activity across a range of temporal and spatial scales, the most prominent of which is the 11-ish year modulation of sunspot production. Beside the ~170 (min to max) decadal variation in sunspot production there is a less-explored quasi-annual variation in the range of 25-50 sunspots/year in magnitude. In addition, there is there is a slower, ~80 year period, 10-50 variation in the sunspot number, that is commonly referred to as the 'Gleissberg Cycle.' Using a suite of contemporary and historical observations we will illustrate these elements of our star's episodic behavior and present a hypothesis that may provide a consistent physical link between the observed 'climatic', 'decadal' and 'seasonal' magnetic variation of our star.