Comparative study of solar cycles 22 to 24 in relation to solar output variability

Abstract

The rate of increase in solar activity at the initiation of solar cycle 22 had led the activity during the solar maximum years 1990-1991, be the most severe of any period during the space age. Solar cycle 23 started in May 1996 and ended in December 2008. Total time period of this solar cycle is 12.6 years. The maximum smoothed sunspot number observed during the solar cycle was 120.8 and minimum was 1.7. It is apparent that solar cycle 23 is a long one. Solar cycle 24 (initiated in December 2008) seems to be weak, which will have a slow ramp up, much slower than the late 19th century cycles used for comparison. In the present work, we have considered Sunspot number (Rz) as an index of solar activity, which shows a predominant 11 year cycle. The strength of the solar cycle makes a huge difference to satellite operators. Each solar peak heats and expands the outer atmosphere. The strength of the solar-cycle length, annual average and temperature correlation enables solar cycle length to be used as a climate predictor tool.