The sunspot cycle length – modulated by planets?

Solheim, J.-E.

doi:doi:10.5194/prp-1-159-2013

Pattern Recogn. Phys., 1, 159-164, 2013
www.pattern-recogn-phys.net/1/159/2013/
doi:10.5194/prp-1-159-2013
© Author(s) 2013. This work is distributed
under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Volume 1, issue 1

Regular Research Article

04 Dec 2013

The sunspot cycle length – modulated by planets?
J.-E. Solheim
formerly at: Department of Physics and Technology, Universtity of Tromsø, Norway

Received: 01 Oct 2013 – Revised: 08 Nov 2013 – Accepted: 12 Nov 2013 – Published: 04 Dec 2013

Abstract. The Schwabe frequency band of the sunspot record since 1700 has an average period of 11.06 yr and contains four major cycles, with periods of 9.97, 10.66, 11.01 and 11.83 yr. Analysis of the O–C residuals of the timing of solar cycle minima reveals that the solar cycle length is modulated by a secular period of about 190 yr and the Gleissberg period of about 86 yr.

Based on a simple harmonic model with these periods, we predict that the solar cycle length will in average be longer during the 21st century. Cycle 24 may be about 12 yr long, while cycles 25 and 26 are estimated to be about 9 and 11 yr long. The following cycle is estimated to be 14 yr long. In all periods during the last 1000 yr, when the solar cycle length has increased due to the 190 yr cycle, a deep minimum of solar activity has occurred. This is expected to re-occur in the first part of this century.

The coherent modulation of the solar cycle length over a period of 400 yr is a strong argument for an external tidal forcing by the planets Venus, Earth, Jupiter and Saturn, as expressed in a spin-orbit coupling model.

Citation: Solheim, J.-E.: The sunspot cycle length – modulated by planets?, Pattern Recogn. Phys., 1, 159-164, doi:10.5194/prp-1-159-2013, 2013.

Pattern Recognition in Physics

An Open Access Journal