Sunspot Cycle
What is it?
The sunspot cycle is generally known to be a cycle of approximately 11 years between successive peaks in sunspot activity.
What is less known and understood is that with each successive 11 year peak, the magnetic field of the sunspots is reversed. So the sunspot cycle is, in reality a 22 year cycle when the magnetic fields are taken into account.
On January 4th 2008, the first recent "reverse polarity" sunspot was recorded. This officially marked the start of sunspot cycle 24.
Why are the sunspot cycles numbered?
The written evidence of sunspot observations are from around first telescopic observations of the sun are from around 800BC in China. The first telescopic observations of the sun started in the 1600's, with the cyclic nature of sunspot activity being described by Samuel Schwabe in 1843. We are now (2009) at the start of a new sunspot cycle.
How do sunspots affect propagation?
Most shortwave radio users know that there is a correlation between sunspots and propagation conditions. Sunspots are dark regions on the surface of the Sun, which are cooler than surrounding areas. They occur when the lines of the Sun's magnetic field become twisted. There are more sunspots when the Sun is more active, and produces more radiation which can affect the Earth's ionosphere.
The F layer of the ionosphere is caused mostly by ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. During times of high solar activity, there is more radiation from the Sun, and the resulting higher ionization levels in the F layer allow higher frequencies to be reflected. For example, around solar maximum, the 10 meter band (28 to 30 MHz) is frequently open for extended periods of time, and long distances can be worked with rather low power levels.
The D layer is also ionized more during the solar maximum, resulting in more attenuation, especially at the lower frequencies.
What is the solar flux?
Solar flux measures the radiation signal strength at 2800 MHz (10.7 cm wavelength ) There is a rough relationship between the signal strength and the number of sunspots. As the sunspot number (SSN) varies from 0 around 200, the solar flux varies from around 60 to 300.
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