Shape of solar cycles and mid-term solar activity oscillations

ABSTRACT The evolution of solar activity comprises, apart from the well-known 11-year cycle, various temporal scales ranging from months up to the secondary cycles known as mid-term oscillations. Its nature deserves a physical explanation. In this work, we have considered the 5–6 year oscillations as derived both from sunspots and solar magnetic dipole time series. Using a solar dynamo model, we have deduced that these variations may be a manifestation of dynamo non-linearities and the non-harmonic shape of the solar activity cycles. We have concluded that the observed mid-term oscillations are related to the non-linear saturation of dynamo processes in the solar interior.