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Cited by 1,180Solar and Space Plasma DynamicsStellar, planetary, and galactic studiesHistory and Developments in Astronomy

The Solar Cycle

Open access
Hathaway, David H.·2015·Living Reviews in Solar Physics
DOI 10.1007/lrsp-2015-4PMC PMC4841188
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Abstract

The solar cycle is reviewed. The 11-year cycle of solar activity is characterized by the rise and fall in the numbers and surface area of sunspots. A number of other solar activity indicators also vary in association with the sunspots including; the 10.7 cm radio flux, the total solar irradiance, the magnetic field, flares and coronal mass ejections, geomagnetic activity, galactic cosmic ray fluxes, and radioisotopes in tree rings and ice cores. Individual solar cycles are characterized by their maxima and minima, cycle periods and amplitudes, cycle shape, the equatorward drift of the active latitudes, hemispheric asymmetries, and active longitudes. Cycle-to-cycle variability includes the Maunder Minimum, the Gleissberg Cycle, and the Gnevyshev-Ohl (even-odd) Rule. Short-term variability includes the 154-day periodicity, quasi-biennial variations, and double-peaked maxima. We conclude with an examination of prediction techniques for the solar cycle and a closer look at cycles 23 and 24. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/lrsp-2015-4.

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  • Due to differential rotation of the star, there are different rotational periods at each latitude, analogous to the 11 year Schwabe cycle of the Sun.

    “Due to the di erential rotation of the star, there are different rotational periods at each latitude, analogous to the 11 year Schwabe cycle of the Sun (Hathaway 2015).”

    From A search for transiting companions in the J1407 (V1400 Cen) system (2021) · cites this paper as Hathaway 2015

    The Introduction describes latitudinal differential rotation, and the Conclusions state that the solar cycle lasts about 11 years. The paper does not equate latitude-dependent rotational periods with the 11-year Schwabe cycle; the claimed analogy is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Bray RJ Loughhead RE Sunspots 1965 New York Wiley

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Authors
Hathaway, D. H.
Affiliations
Ames Research Center (US)
Corresponding author
Hathaway, David H.
ORCID
Hathaway, David H.
Venue
Living Reviews in Solar Physics
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2015-09-21
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
4-4
ISSN
  • 1614-4961 (ISSN-L)
  • 2367-3648
DOI
10.1007/lrsp-2015-4
PMC
PMC4841188
OpenAlex
W2141375123
Cited by
1,180
References
255
Citations by year
2026: 106 · 2025: 104 · 2024: 109 · 2023: 118 · 2022: 87 · 2021: 101 · 2020: 111 · 2019: 102 · 2018: 70 · 2017: 69 · 2016: 66 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 18
FWCI
6.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Living Reviews in Solar Physics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (public-domain)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › History and Developments in Astronomy
Keywords
solar cycle, solar activity, sunspots, 10.7 cm radio flux, total solar irradiance, solar magnetic fields, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, geomagnetic activity, galactic cosmic rays, ice cores, cycle-to-cycle variation, Maunder Minimum, Gleissberg cycle, Gnevyshev-Ohl rule, solar cycle prediction, solar cycle 23, solar cycle 24

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