Some properties of latitude-time evolution of local and background solar magnetic fields

A comparative analysis of evolution of latitude distributions of solar magnetic fields of various scales is presented. Using the local photospheric magnetic fields (LMF) represented by the magnetic fields of sunspots for cycles 12–23 it is found that the width of the sunspot generating zone is closely related to the magnitude of the total magnetic flux of sunspots. It is demonstrated that latitude-time distributions of the LMF and absolute strengths of the background magnetic field (BMF) in the latitude range ±40° are very similar and the time variations of power indices of the BMF and LMF are highly correlated. It is found that power characteristics of the BMF and LMF in cycles 21–23 are in close relation to the size of the low-latitude zone of solar activity. It is shown that the speed of the polar drift of the BMF of a given polarity tends to increase in epochs of solar cycle maximums. The obtained regularities can be used as diagnostic criteria for determination of adequate physical models of solar cyclicity.