A remarkable recent transition in the solar dynamo

Abstract

We summarize the major aspects of the remarkable, fairly long lasting period (∼2005 to ∼2010) of low solar activity, that we will call the Transition. It is the transitional stage between the Grand Maximum of the 20th century and a forthcoming (most probably Regular) episode of solar activity. The various kinds of activity in the functioning of the equatorial components of the solar dynamo before and during the Transition are summarized. While the behavior of unipolar magnetic regions and their rest-latitudes already gave very early indications - mid 20th century - of the forthcoming Transition, more such indications became available around 1995 and the main part of it occurred between 2005 and 2010. Some of the inferences are discussed. We submit the hypothesis that the solar tachocline undergoes pulsations and we present some helioseismic evidences. In that scenario we find that its equatorial part has moved downward over a fairly small semi-amplitude (∼0.03 solar radii) during the time of the Transition. There are several indications, apart from this 'pulsation', that the tachocline may even be pulsating with still smaller amplitudes in more modes. We speculate about the physical mechanism(s)