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Progress in Earth and Planetary Science
Fig. 1 | Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

Fig. 1

From: Solar evolution and extrema: current state of understanding of long-term solar variability and its planetary impacts

Fig. 1

A solar magnetogram shows regions of strong magnetic fields (solar active regions) on the solar surface which are typically composed of bipolar sunspot pairs (white and black regions indicate positive and negative polarity, respectively). These bipolar sunspots appear with a systematic tilt with respect to the local parallel of latitude and their relative orientation is reversed in the two hemispheres. The tilt angle that is observed within the solar active regions increases with latitude which is known as Joy’s law. Sunspots and associated overlying magnetic field loops generate solar storms and modulate the radiative energy output of the Sun. They are tracers of the underlying solar dynamo mechanism. Credit: NASA HMI/SDO

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