The large-scale build-up of solar magnetic cycles

The purpose of the present article is to analyze the solar cycles from the point of view of the large-scale surface magnetic field (LSMF) polarity distributions. Using synoptic charts of the LSMF for the 1870–1991 time interval at maxima and minima and the spherical harmonic analysis of the polarity distributions, a connection between magnetic cycles has been found. The weight of the large-scale sectoral mode (m = 1) in the common LSMF polarity distribution at minima of the sunspot cycle is the source of sunspot activity at maxima after 16–18 years. The connections found suggest that surface LSMFs have a dual nature - the main source below the convective zone and a secondary source (sunspot production). The sunspot production has no visible influence on the LSMF cycles.