SOLAR CYCLE
What is the solar cycle?
- The solar cycle is the cycle that the Sun’s magnetic field goes through approximately every 11 years.
- Solar minima and maxima are the two extremes of the Sun's 11-year activity cycle.
Solar Minimum
- Solar minimum is the period of least solar activity in the 11-year solar cycle of the Sun.
- During this time, sunspot and solar flare activity diminishes, and often does not occur for days at a time.
- Solar minima are correlated with changes in climate.
- The most infamous Solar Minimum happened between 1645 to 1715, termed as “Maunder Minimum” - when sunspots were very rare for an extended period.
Solar Maximum
- During solar maximum, large numbers of sunspots appear, and the solar irradiance output grows tremendously.
- At solar maximum, the Sun's magnetic field lines are the most distorted due to the magnetic field on the solar equator rotating at a slightly faster pace than at the solar poles.
- Large solar flares occur during a maximum.
What is a sunspot?
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How does the solar cycle affect Earth?
- The more charged-up the solar wind headed towards Earth, the brighter and more frequent are the displays of Northern Lights and Southern Light (Aurora)
- For example, the solar storm of 1859 struck the Earth with such intensity that the northern lights were visible as far from the poles as Cuba and Hawaii.
- Power outages, satellite malfunctions, communication disruptions, and GPS receiver malfunctions are other few things that can happen during a solar maximum.