Abnormal Cycles from Normal Dynamos
Paul Charbonneau [paulchar@astro.umontreal.ca], Département de Physique, Université de
Montréal, Canada
The primary aim of this talk is to illustrate how different classes of dynamo models of the solar
cycle can exhibit “abnormal” features, including extended periods of minimum activity as currently
observed. We will show that dynamo models including even very simple amplitude quenching
nonlinearities can, in the presence of low-amplitude stochastic forcing, produce fluctuations that may
be mistaken for switches between distinct dynamical behaviors, and will examine to what degree
such behavior can be distinguished from true intermittency, given extant data. We will also examine
the occurrence of similar behavior in global MHD simulations of the solar convection zones
producing solar-like cycles in the large-scale magnetic field.