Simulations of the gross solar magnetic field during sunspot cycle 21

Regarding new bipolar magnetic regions as sources of flux, we have simulated the evolution of the radial component of the solar photospheric magnetic field during 1976–1984 with a spatial resolution of about 34 000 km, and have derived the corresponding evolution of its absolute value averaged over the visible disk. For nominal values of the transport parameters, this simulated gross field is in close, though imperfect, agreement with the observed gross field and its associated indices of solar activity. By analyzing the response of the simulated gross field to variations in the transport parameters and the source properties, we find that the simulated field originates in newly erupted bipolar regions. The lifetimes of these regions are almost always less than 3 mo. Consequently, the strength of the simulated gross field is a measure of the current level of solar activity, and any recurrent patterns with lifetimes in excess of 6 mo must reflect the continuing eruption of new flux at active longitudes rather than the persistence of old flux in long-lived magnetic structures.E. O. Hulburt Center for Space Research.Laboratory for Computational Physics.Berkeley Research Associates, Springfield, VA.