The Ratio Between the Number of Sunspot and the Number of Sunspot Groups


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Abstract

Data from three solar observatories (Learmonth, Holloman, and San Vito) are used to study the variations in the average number of sunspots per sunspot group. It is found that the different types of sunspot groups and the number of sunspots in these groups have different solar cycle and cycle to cycle variations. The varying ratio between the average number of sunspots and the number of sunspot groups is shown to be a real feature and not a result of changing observational instruments, observers’ experience, calculation schemes, etc., and is a result of variations in the solar magnetic fields. Therefore, the attempts to minimize the discrepancies between the sunspot number and sunspot group series are not justified, and lead to the loss of important information about the variability of the solar dynamo.

About the authors

K. Georgieva

SRTI-BAS

Author for correspondence.
Email: kgeorgieva@space.bas.bg
Bulgaria, Sofia

A. Kilçik

Akdeniz University

Email: kgeorgieva@space.bas.bg
Turkey, Antalya

Yu. Nagovitsyn

Central Astronomical Observatory at Pulkovo of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: kgeorgieva@space.bas.bg
Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, 196140

B. Kirov

SRTI-BAS

Email: kgeorgieva@space.bas.bg
Bulgaria, Sofia

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