Parity of the Solar Magnetic Fields and Related Astrophysical Phenomena

Abstract

The cumulative contribution of odd (Bo) and even (BE) parity zonal magnetic multipoles to the solar magnetic fields is calculated using spherical harmonic coefficients of the photospheric magnetic field for the years 1959-1985. The dominant parity of the solar magnetic field is shown to change from odd to even during every sunspot cycle. The association of variations of Bo and BE with different astrophysical phenomena such as magnetic reversal of solar polar magnetic fields, north-south asymmetry in sunspot activity and strength of the interplanetary magnetic field will be also discussed. Using solar observations we could infer that dominant parity of the solar magnetic field is changing from even to odd during the past 12 solar cycles when the solar activity is showing an increasing trend during this period.

This paper is presented in the Indian Science Congress held in Trivandrum,India during January 2009; Key words : spherical harmonics, parity,solar magnetic fields,sunspot activity