In the context of the Babcock model, briefly explain the reversal of the Sun's magnetic field from cycle to cycle

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The Babcock model explains the reversal of the Sun's magnetic field from cycle to cycle. As the magnetic field becomes tangled, adjacent regions of the Sun's surface are dominated by magnetic fields that point in different directions. After about 11 years of tangling, the field becomes so complex that adjacent regions of the surface are forced to change their magnetic field directions to align with neighboring regions. The entire field quickly rearranges itself into a simpler pattern, and differential rotation begins winding it up to start a new cycle. The newly organized field is reversed, and the next sunspot cycle begins with magnetic north replaced by magnetic south. Consequently, the complete magnetic cycle is 22 years long, whereas the sunspot cycle is 11 years long.

Physics & Space Science

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