Anti Hale or reversed polarity spots

[hamateur 1953]

I’ve wondered but never asked if this type of sunspot pair is particularly active.  There does seem to be a lot of interest in them.  I am not referring to the beginnings of each SC naturally because then we typically expect them to show up at high latitudes to herald a new cycle. Rather within any mid-cycle appearance …. Tnx. Mike/Hagrid. 

Edited September 25, 2023 by hamateur 1953

[Newbie]

15 hours ago, hamateur 1953 said:

I’ve wondered but never asked if this type of sunspot pair is particularly active.  There does seem to be a lot of interest in them.  I am not referring to the beginnings of each SC naturally because then we typically expect them to show up at high latitudes to herald a new cycle. Rather within any mid-cycle appearance …. Tnx. Mike/Hagrid. 

 Anti-hale sunspots can usually be considered more active because they have a more complex and twisted magnetic field compared to regular sunspots. Most sunspots follow Hale’s Law and Joys Law.

Hale's Law: Hale's Law, formulated by astronomer George Ellery Hale, states that the magnetic polarity of leading and following sunspots in a solar active region is opposite. In other words, if you look at a pair of sunspots in a group, one will have a north magnetic pole as its leading polarity, and the other will have a south magnetic pole as its leading polarity. This law helps astronomers understand the structure of solar magnetic fields.

Joy's Law: Joy's Law, named after astronomer Alfred Harrison Joy, describes the tilt of sunspot pairs with respect to the solar equator. It states that sunspot pairs tend to be oriented at an angle with the leading (preceding) spot being closer to the solar equator than the following (trailing) spot.

With respect to anti Hale spots the polarities are reversed and the angle of orientation tipped even further than Joy’s law describes. This complexity in the magnetic field can lead to increased solar activity, including the release of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These events can result in heightened solar radiation and geomagnetic storms when they interact with Earth's magnetosphere.

Here are some key factors contributing to the instability of anti-Hale sunspots:

Magnetic Shearing: Anti-Hale sunspots have magnetic fields with opposite polarities twisted together. This magnetic shearing can lead to a higher likelihood of magnetic reconnection events. Magnetic reconnection is a process where magnetic field lines break and reconnect, releasing a tremendous amount of energy. This can result in solar flares and other explosive events.

Twisted Magnetic Fields: The twisted and complex magnetic fields in anti-Hale sunspots can cause a higher degree of magnetic stress and tension within the sunspot region. This stress can lead to the sudden release of magnetic energy, causing solar eruptions.

Interaction with Surrounding Fields: Anti-Hale sunspots often form in regions where magnetic fields of opposite polarity are in close proximity. The interaction between these magnetic fields can trigger instabilities, causing the sunspots to rapidly change in shape and magnetic configuration.

Dynamic Plasma Flows: The plasma (ionized gas) on the Sun's surface is constantly in motion. Complex magnetic fields in anti-Hale sunspots can interact with these plasma flows in unpredictable ways, leading to increased instability.

Magnetic Helicity: Anti-Hale sunspots are associated with a specific type of magnetic helicity, which describes the winding or coiling of magnetic field lines. Magnetic helicity can play a role in the generation of solar eruptions and flares.

N.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Newbie

[3gMike]

14 hours ago, hamateur 1953 said:

I’ve wondered but never asked if this type of sunspot pair is particularly active.  There does seem to be a lot of interest in them.  I am not referring to the beginnings of each SC naturally because then we typically expect them to show up at high latitudes to herald a new cycle. Rather within any mid-cycle appearance …. Tnx. Mike/Hagrid. 

A good article here   https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aae31a#:~:text=The "anti-Hale" sunspots are also much weaker than,"anti-Hale" sunspots. suggests that around 8% of spots in any cycle will be anti-Hale polarity.

The article also discusses other characteristics, and how they change during a cycle.