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The recent solar minimum How unprecedent is the Sun's behavior?

Explore the unique behavior of the Sun during its recent solar minimum phase and its impact on Earth, space weather, and scientific research. Learn about solar activity cycles, solar wind observations, and potential risks posed by solar eruptions. Dr. Andrea Opitz from the University of Toulouse discusses these phenomena and their relevance to various fields of study.

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The recent solar minimum How unprecedent is the Sun's behavior?

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  1. University of Bern, 17th November 2010 The recent solar minimumHow unprecedent is the Sun's behavior? Andrea Opitz CESR (CNRS-UPS) University of Toulouse, France

  2. Solar - terrestrial relations

  3. Solar activity cycles SOHO (NASA/ESA)

  4. Solar activity cycles  Few hundred years of sunspot record available David Hathaway, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center  Space Age (1960's - today): just a few solar cycles, low statistics

  5. SOHO/EIT (ESA/NASA)

  6. Out-of-ecliptic view

  7. SW velocity vs. latitude Solar minimum Solar maximum Now McComas et al. GRL 2008

  8. In-ecliptic view

  9. Twin STEREO spacecraft Opitz, Karrer, Wurz et al. 2009 Solar Physics

  10. STEREO PLASTIC  SW bulk velocity  SW temperature  SW density Group: P. Bochsler, P. Wurz, R. Karrer, A. Opitz, L. Blush, H. Daoudi, J. Fischer, M. Sigrist et al. (UoBe) A. B. Galvin, L. Kistler et al. (UNH)

  11. Temporal evolution of the solar wind Opitz et al. 2009, Solar Physics PLASTIC proton velocity  0.5 day: ~0.95 2 days: ~0.85 STA STB Opitz et al. 2010, Solar Physics SWEA electron density  0.5 day: ~0.80 2 days: ~0.65 STA STB SWEA

  12. Temporal evolution by cross-correlation STA STB timelag of ~6 days Riley, Luhmann, Opitz, Linker, and Mikic 2010 JGR

  13. Recent Sun and solar wind observations: Facts • longer solar activity minimum • solar magnetic field weaker • coronal holes at low latitudes • recurrent stream structure broader • low solar wind densities • total solar irradiance lower

  14. Solar activity minimum: longer Russell, Luhmann, Jian et al. 2010

  15. Solar polar magnetic field: weaker red: South blue: North Wilcox Solar Observatory

  16. SW velocity vs. latitude Solar minimum Solar maximum Now McComas et al. GRL 2008

  17. Recurrent stream structure:stronger and broader Gibson et al. 2009

  18. Terrestrial response 1 • Quiet solar minimum, though geoeffective. • Interaction of the strong, broad stream structures with the terrestrial magnetosphere. • Proof: sunspot number alone can not give a good prediction.

  19. Solar irradiance  TSI lower  UV lower  visible higher Haigh 2007

  20. Solar irradiance: EUV Solomon et al. 2010

  21. Terrestrial response 2 • Opportunity to separate the climatic effects of solar and anthropogenic sources. • Total solar irradiance lower. • Spectral solar irradiance: UV lower, visible higher. • Maunder and Dalton minimums

  22. Russell, Luhmann, Jian 2010

  23. Solar maximum predictions • weaker • normal • stronger

  24. Solar eruption risks • telegraph system collapsed in 1859 • electric network collapsed in 1989 • electric, oil and gas network • satellites: GPS, communication and scientific • pilots and astronauts • radio communication

  25. Summary • longer solar activity minimum • solar magnetic field weaker • coronal holes at low latitudes • recurrent stream structure broader • low solar wind densities • total solar irradiance lower

  26. Questions to the audience • How much does such an unprecedent solar behavior influence your work? • Climatology? • Planetology? • Cosmic rays? • Space instrumentation? • Solar and Stellar Physics? Dr. Andrea OPITZ, CESR (CNRS-UPS), University of Toulouse, France

  27. Acknowledgements • Cecile Bonneau: 'Science et vie' -> Nov/Dec 2010 • Janet Luhmann: solar wind structures • STEREO PLASTIC: P. Bochsler, P. Wurz, R. Karrer, A. Opitz, L. Blush et al. (UoBe) + UNH

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