Gnevyshev Gap in the Large-Scale Magnetic Field

The phenomenon of the Gnevyshev gap was first identified in the solar-corona irradiance data (green line). Later, it was studied in the sunspot, coronal, and heliospheric data. We have investigated the Gnevyshev gap in the magnetic field data and have arrived at the conclusion that it reflects the behavior of the large-scale magnetic field. The Gnevyshev gap occurs at the polarity reversal of the solar magnetic field at the photospheric level. The presence of the Gnevyshev gap in sunspot data at the photospheric level is disguised by nonglobal structures that retain dependence on both latitude and longitude (the accepted mathematical term is tessaral; see below for more detail). However, it is clearly visible in the magnetic field data at the photospheric level and is even more pronounced at the source surface (i.e., in the corona).