Stellar Activity and Brightness Variations: A Glimpse at the Sun's History

Radiometric measurements during the past decade from the Solar Maximum Mission and Nimbus 7 satellites have shown that the total solar irradiance varies in step with the sun's 11-year magnetic activity cycle. Stellar observations from the Lowell and Mount Wilson observatories now confirm and el...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1990-01, Vol.247 (4938), p.39-44
Main Authors: Radick, Richard R., Lockwood, G. W., Baliunas, Sallie L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Active stars
Analysis
Astronomical photometry
Astronomy
Dwarf stars
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
History
Measurement
Observatories
Solar activity
Star formation
Stars
Stars & galaxies
Stellar characteristics and properties
Stellar evolution
Stellar faculae
Stellar rotation
Sun
Sunspots
Variable stars
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Summary:Radiometric measurements during the past decade from the Solar Maximum Mission and Nimbus 7 satellites have shown that the total solar irradiance varies in step with the sun's 11-year magnetic activity cycle. Stellar observations from the Lowell and Mount Wilson observatories now confirm and elaborate this discovery. These measurements show that older stars similar to the sun tend to become brighter as their magnetic activity level increases, just as the sun does during its 11-year activity cycle. Younger stars, however, tend to become fainter as their magnetic activity level increases. This contrasting behavior suggests that the balance between the competing phenomena that influence solar brightness variability has shifted during the sun's lifetime.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.247.4938.39