Sunspot number recalibration: The ~1840–1920 anomaly in the observer normalization factors of the group sunspot number

Edward W. Cliver

doi:10.1051/swsc/2017010

All issues

Volume 7 (2017)

J. Space Weather Space Clim., 7 (2017) A12

References

Open Access

Issue		J. Space Weather Space Clim. Volume 7, 2017


Article Number		A12
Number of page(s)		11
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2017010
Published online		05 May 2017

Arlt, R. Digitization of sunspot drawings by Staudacher in 1749–1796. Sol. Phys., 247, 399–410, 2008, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-007-9113-4. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Arlt, R. The solar observations at Armagh Observatory in 1795–1797. Astron. Nachr., 330, 311–316, 2009, DOI: 10.1002/asna.200911195. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Arlt, R. The sunspot observations by Samuel Heinrich Schwabe. Astron. Nachr., 332, 805–814, 2011, DOI: 10.1002/asna.201111601. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Beer, J., K.G. McCracken, and R. von Steiger. Cosmogenic radionuclides: theory and applications in the terrestrial and space environments, Springer, Berlin, ISBN: 978-3-642-14650-3, 2012. [Google Scholar]
Carrasco, V.M.S., J.M. Vaquero, M.C. Gallego, and R.M. Trigo. Forty two years counting spots: solar observations by D.E. Hadden during 1890–1931 revisited. New Astron., 25, 95–102, 2013, DOI: 10.1016/j.newast.2013.05.002. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Chatzistergos, T., I.G. Usoskin, G.A. Kovaltsov, N.A. Krivova, and S.K. Solanki. New reconstruction of the sunspot group number since 1739 using the direct calibration and “backbone” methods. A&A, 2017, in press. [Google Scholar]
Clette, F., and L. Lefèvre. The new sunspot number: assembling all corrections. Sol. Phys., 291, 2629–2651, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-1014-y. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Clette, F., L. Svalgaard, J.M. Vaquero, and E.W. Cliver. Revisiting the sunspot number. A 400-year perspective on the solar cycle. Space Sci. Rev., 186, 35–103, 2014, DOI: 10.1007/s11214-014-0074-2. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Clette, F., E.W. Cliver, L. Lefèvre, L. Svalgaard, and J.M. Vaquero. Revision of the sunspot number(s). Space Weather, 13, 529–530, 2015, DOI: 10.1002/2015SW001264. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Clette, F., L. Lefèvre, M. Cagnotti, S. Cortesi, and A. Bulling. The revised Brussels-Locarno sunspot number (1981–2015). Sol. Phys., 291, 2733–2761, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0875-4. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Cliver, E.W. Comparison of new and old sunspot number time series. Sol. Phys., 291, 2891–2916, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0929-7. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Cliver, E.W., and A.G. Ling. The discontinuity circa 1885 in the group sunspot number. Sol. Phys., 291, 2763–2784, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-015-0841-6. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Cliver, E.W., F. Clette, and L. Svalgaard. Recalibrating the Sunspot Number (SSN): the SSN workshops. Cent. Eur. Astrophys. Bull., 37 (2), 401–416, 2013. [Google Scholar]
Cliver, E.W., F. Clette, L. Svalgaard, and J.M. Vaquero. Recalibrating the Sunspot Number (SN): the 3rd and 4th SN workshops. Cent. Eur. Astrophys. Bull., 39, 1–19, 2015. [Google Scholar]
Diercke, A., R. Arlt, and C. Denker. Digitization of sunspot drawings by Spörer made in 1861–1894. Astron. Nachr., 336, 53–62, 2015, DOI: 10.1002/asna.201412138. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Erwin, E.H., H.E. Coffey, W.F. Denig, D.M. Willis, R. Henwood, and M.N. Wild. The Greenwich photo-heliographic results (1874–1976): initial corrections to the printed publications. Sol. Phys., 288, 157–170, 2013, DOI: 10.1007/s11207- 013-0310-z. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Hoyt, D.V., and K.H. Schatten. Group sunspot numbers: a new solar activity reconstruction. Sol. Phys., 179, 189–219, 1998a, DOI: 10.1023/A:1005007527816. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Hoyt, D.V., and K.H. Schatten. Group sunspot numbers: a new solar activity reconstruction. Sol. Phys., 181, 491–512, 1998b, DOI: 10.1023/A:1005056326158. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Hoyt, D.V., K.H. Schatten, and E. Nesmes-Ribes. The one hundredth year of Rudolf Wolf’s death: do we have the correct reconstruction of solar activity? Geophys. Res. Lett., 21, 2067–2070, 1994, DOI: 10.1029/94GL01698. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Kopecký, M., G.V. Kuklin, and B. Růžičková-Topolova. On the relative inhomogeneity of long-term series of sunspot indices. Bull. Astron. Inst. Czech., 31, 267–283, 1980. [Google Scholar]
Leussu, R., I.G. Usoskin, R. Arlt, and K. Mursula. Inconsistency of the Wolf sunspot number series around 1848. A&A, 559, A28, 2013, DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201322373, 4 pp. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [EDP Sciences] [Google Scholar]
Lockwood, M., M.J. Owens, and L. Barnard. Centennial variations in sunspot number, open solar flux, and streamer belt width: 1. Correction of the sunspot number record since 1874. J. Geophys. Res., 119, 5172–5182, 2014a, DOI: 10.1002/2014JA019970. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Lockwood, M., M.J. Owens, and L. Barnard. Centennial variations in sunspot number, open solar flux, and streamer belt width: 2. Comparison with the geomagnetic data. J. Geophys. Res., 119, 5183–5192, 2014b, DOI: 10.1002/2014JA019972. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Lockwood, M., M.J. Owens, L. Barnard, and I.G. Usoskin. Tests of sunspot number sequences: 3. Effects of regression procedures on the calibration of historic sunspot data. Sol. Phys., 291, 2829–2841, 2016a, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-015-0829-2. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Lockwood, M., M.J. Owens, L. Barnard, and I.G. Usoskin. An assessment of sunspot number data composites over 1845–2014. Astrophys. J., 824, 54, 2016b, DOI: 10.3847/0004-637X/824/1/54, 17 pp. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Muscheler, R., F. Adolphi, K. Herbst, and A. Nilsson. The revised sunspot record in comparison to cosmogenic radionuclide-based solar activity reconstructions. Sol. Phys., 291, 3025–3043, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0969-z. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Owens, M.J., E. Cliver, K.G. McCracken, J. Beer, L. Barnard, et al. Near-Earth heliospheric magnetic field intensity since 1750: 1. Sunspot and geomagnetic reconstructions. J. Geophys. Res., 121, 6048–6063, 2016, DOI: 10.1002/2016JA022529 [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Riley, P., R. Lionello, J.A. Linker, E. Cliver, and A. Balogh, et al. Inferring the structure of the solar corona and inner heliosphere during the maunder minimum using global thermodynamic magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Astrophys. J., 802, 105, 2015, DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/802/2/105, 14 pp. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Sarychev, A.P. and E.M. Roshchina Comparison of three solar activity indices based on sunspot observations. Solar Sys. Res., 43, 151–157, 2009, DOI: 10.1134/S0038094609020087. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Steinhilber, F., J.A. Abreu, J. Beer, I. Brunner, and M. Christl, et al. 9,400 years of cosmic radiation and solar activity from ice cores and tree rings. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 109 (16), 5967–5971, 2012, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1118965109. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Solanki, S.K., I.G. Usoskin, B. Kromer, M. Schüssler, and J. Beer. Unusual activity of the Sun during recent decades compared to the previous 11,000 years. Nature, 431, 1084–1087, 2004, DOI: 10.1038/nature02995. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
Svalgaard, L. Updating the Historical Sunspot Record. In: S.R., Cranmer, J.T. Hoeksema, and J.L. Kohl, Editors. Understanding a peculiar solar minimum, ASP Conference Series 428. San Francisco: Astron. Society Pacific, pp. 297–305, 2010. [Google Scholar]
Svalgaard, L. How well do we know the sunspot number? In: C.H., Mandrini, and D.F. Webb, Editors. Comparative Magnetic Minima: Characterizing Quiet Times in the Sun and Stars, IAU Symposium, vol. 286, 27–33, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012, DOI: 10.1017/S1743921312004590. [Google Scholar]
Svalgaard, L.A. Recount of sunspot groups on Staudach’s drawings. Sol. Phys., 292, 4, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-1023-x, 9 pp. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Svalgaard, L., and K.H. Schatten. Reconstruction of the sunspot group number: the backbone method. Sol. Phys., 291, 2653–2684, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-015-0815-8. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Svalgaard, L., M. Cagnotti, and S. Cortesi. The effect of sunspot weighting, Sol. Phys., 292, 34, 2017, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-1024-9, 19 pp. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Usoskin, I.G. A history of solar activity over millenia. Living Rev. Sol. Phys., 10, 1, 2013, DOI: 10.12942/lrsp-2013-1. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Usoskin, I.G., S.K. Solanki, and G.A. Kovaltsov. Grand minima and maxima of solar activity: new observational constraints. A&A, 471, 301–309, 2007, DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20077704. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [EDP Sciences] [Google Scholar]
Usoskin, I.G., R. Arlt, E. Asvestar, E. Hawkins, and M. Käpylä, et al. The Maunder minimum (1645–1715) was indeed a grand minimum: a reassessment of multiple datasets. A&A, 581, A95, 2015, DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201526652, 19 pp. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [EDP Sciences] [Google Scholar]
Usoskin, I.G., G.A. Kovaltsov, M. Lockwood, K. Mursula, M. Owens, and S.K. Solanki. A new calibrated sunspot group series since 1749: statistics of active day fractions. Sol. Phys., 291, 2685–2708, 2016a, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-015-0838-1. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Usoskin, I.G., G.A. Kovaltsov, and T. Chatzistergos. Dependence of the Sunspot-group size on the level of solar activity and its influence on the calibration of solar observers. Sol. Phys., 291, 3793–3805, 2016b, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0993-z. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Vaquero, J.M. Historical sunspot observations: a review. Adv. Space Res., 40, 929–9411, 2007, DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2007.01.087. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Vaquero, J.M., and M.C. Gallego. Reconstructing past solar activity using meridian solar observations: the case of the Royal Observatory of the Spanish Navy (1833–1840). Adv. Space Res., 53, 1162–1168, 2014, DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2014.01.015. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Vaquero, J.M., M.C. Gallego, I.G. Usoskin, and G.A. Kovaltsov.Revisited Sunspot data: a new scenario for the onset of the maunder minimum. Astrophys. J., 731, L24, 2011, DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/731/2/L24, 4 pp. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Vaquero, J.M., R.M. Trigo, M.C. Gallego, and F. Dominguez-Castro. Improving sunspot records: solar drawings of the late 19th Century from the Royal Astronomical Observatory of Lisbon. Observatory, 132, 376–384, 2012. [Google Scholar]
Vaquero, J.M., L. Svalgaard, V.M.S. Carrasco, F. Clette, L. Lefèvre, M.C. Gallego, R. Arlt, A.J.P. Aparicio, J.-G. Richard, and R.A. Howe. Revised collection of sunspot group numbers. Sol. Phys., 291, 3061–3074, 2016, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0982-2. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Waldmeier, M. Chromosphärische Eruptionen. I. Zeitschrift für Astrophysik, 16, 276–290, 1938, ADS: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1938ZA.....16..276W [Google Scholar]
Willis, D.M., H.E. Coffey, R. Henwood, E.H. Erwin, D.V. Hoyt, M.N. Wild, and W.F. Denig. The Greenwich photo-heliographic results (1874–1976): summary of the observations, applications, datasets, definitions and errors. Sol. Phys., 288, 117–139, 2013a, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-013-0311-y. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Willis, D.M., R. Henwood, M.N. Wild, H.E. Coffey, W.F. Denig, E.H. Erwin, and D.V. Hoyt. The Greenwich photo-heliographic results (1874–1976): procedures for checking and correcting the sunspot digital datasets. Sol. Phys., 288, 141–156, 2013b, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-013-0312-x. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Willis, D.M., M.N. Wild, and J.S. Warburton. Re-examination of the daily number of sunspot groups for the royal observatory, Greenwich (1874–1885). Sol. Phys., 291, 2519–2552, 2016a, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0856-7. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Willis, D.M., M.N. Wild, G.M. Appleby, and L.T. Macdonald. The Greenwich photo-heliographic results (1874–1885): observing telescopes, photographic processes and solar images. Sol. Phys., 291, 2553–2586, 2016b, DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0894-1. [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Wolf, R. Sonnenflecken Beobachtungen in der zweiten Hälfte des Jahres 1850. Mitt. Nat. Forsch. Ges. Bern, 207, 89–95, 1851. [Google Scholar]
Wolf, R. Beobachtungen der Sonnenflecken in den Jahren 1849–1855. Astron. Mitteil. Eidgn. Sternw. Zürich, 1, 3–13, 1856. [Google Scholar]
Wolf, R. Beobachtungen über die Sonnenflecken im Jahre 1856. Astron. Mitt. Zürich, 3, 31, 1857. [Google Scholar]
Wolfer, A. Beobachtungen der Sonnenflecken im Jahre 1894. Astron. Mitt. Zürich, 86, 190, 1895. [Google Scholar]
Zolotova, N.V., and D.I. Ponyavin. The Maunder minimum is not as grand as it seemed to be. Astrophys. J., 800, 14, 2015, DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/800/1/42, 14 pp. [NASA ADS] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]

Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.

Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.

Initial download of the metrics may take a while.