SOHO Pick of the Week: Sunspots peaking again
The number of sunspots is surging again, suggesting a second period
of peak activity in this solar cycle. Scientists track solar cycles
by counting sunspots and this solar cycle reached its peak level in
July, 2000. Since then, the number of sunspots and general solar
activity, though still high, had begun to diminish as expected (see
image for December, 2000). But, as this chart shows, the number of
spots has generally increased again over the past several months to a
second peak, almost as high as the first. Interestingly, the same
“double-peak” pattern was observed during the last solar cycle.
