Cyclic evolution of the global magnetic field observed during the 21st and 22nd solar cycles

The global component of the large-scale magnetic field is identified using two methods applied to Stanford Observatory data on the photospheric magnetic field obtained in 1976-2000. Two significantly different phases are observed in the evolution of the global magnetic field detected during the 11-year cycle. Phase I includes the cycle growth and maximum, while Phase II includes the cycle decay and minimum. During Phases I and II of the 11-year cycle, two different processes dominate both the magnetic-field generation and the solar activity as a whole. At lower latitudes, Phase I demonstrates a longitudinal splitting of the magnetic field, which takes the form of stripes of opposite polarities located parallel to the equator. The long dimensions of these stripes are grouped near 90A degrees and 180A degrees. The global magnetic field rotates as a rigid body with a period that is appreciably shorter than the Carrington-rotation period and reaches about 27.225 days. During reversals of the polarity of the global magnetic field, the field displays opposite signs in antipodal longitude intervals with lengths of about 135A degrees. Thus, the equatorial dipolar field is clearly manifest during Phase I. Transitional longitude intervals with widths of 45A degrees located between 135A degrees intervals correspond to the positions of active longitudes of sunspots, indicating a close relationship between the global and local magnetic fields.