2011/03/08 by J. M. Vaquero, José M. Vaquero, M. C. Gallego +4 · 98 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Constraint (computer-aided design) #Dynamo #Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies #History and Developments in Astronomy #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Solar cycle #Solar minimum #Sunspot #Sunspot number #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/731/2/l24
published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters 731(2), L24 (IOP Publishing) · 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letters
arxiv created 2011/03/08 · openalex publication_date 2011/03/24 · arxiv updated 2015/05/27 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The Maunder minimum forms an archetype for the Grand minima, and detailed knowledge of its temporal development has important consequences for the solar dynamo theory dealing with long-term solar activity evolution. Here, we reconsider the current paradigm of the Grand minimum general scenario by using newly recovered sunspot observations by G. Marcgraf and revising some earlier uncertain data for the period 1636–1642, i.e., one solar cycle before the beginning of the Maunder minimum. The new and revised data dramatically change the magnitude of the sunspot cycle just before the Maunder minimum, from 60–70 down to about 20, implying a possibly gradual onset of the minimum with reduced activity started two cycles before it. This revised scenario of the Maunder minimum changes, through the paradigm for Grand solar/stellar activity minima, the observational constraint on the solar/stellar dynamo theories focused on long-term studies and occurrence of Grand minima.