Solar Cycle 23/24 Polar Coronal Hole Areas: Scientific Results
Abstract
The evolutionary analysis of the polar coronal hole (PCH) areas from the beginning of solar cycle 23 through the cycle 24 minimum has introduced several new scientific results regarding changes in the magnetic field configuration during the past solar cycle. Observations show that the PCH sizes peak at discrete times in the two hemispheres, suggesting that the two poles reach solar minimum (magnetic maximum) up to three years apart. The northern polar hole has also decreased significantly in size since 2010, while the southern hole has remained stable. This indicates that the northern hemisphere has already reached solar maximum even though the southern hemisphere has yet to peak. The relationship between the temporal difference of the PCH area peaks at solar minimum and that of the area drop-offs during solar maximum are under investigation.
- Publication:
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Solar Heliospheric and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE 2012)
- Pub Date:
- June 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012shin.confE.118H