Single Sunspots, not Pairs of Spots, as the Basic Element of Sunspots: A New Synthesis of Observed Facts

Akasofu S.-I.

Published on: 2022-12-01

Abstract

There exist single spots (isolated, independent, unipolar spots or ‘magnetic monopole’), although it is generally believed that sunspots appear as N/S pairs. Thus, in order to examine this contradiction, a study of single spots is made, which has led to four stages of synthesis of a number of observations on sunspots, based on the Kitt Peak magnetic maps and published papers. Results of the four stages of synthesis are: (1) There exist large, but weak unipolar regions, aligned alternately in longitude; they grow and decay with the sunspot cycle, not decaying old active regions (as generally believed). (2) Positive single spots are formed in positive unipolar regions (vice versa) as a result of local convergence. The problem of single spots as ‘magnetic monopoles’ can be understood because of (2). (3) Various plasma flows around a single spot are tentatively assembled in terms of a cyclonic flow. (4) A pair of spots is formed at the boundary of positive and negative unipolar regions, not anywhere else; a ‘spot’ in each side is a cluster of single spots. Therefore, it is concluded that single spots are the basic element of sunspots, not a pair of N/S spots.