Do young Suns undergo magnetic reversals?

Abstract

A key part of the modern-day regenerative solar magnetic dynamo is the reversal of the Sun's global magnetic field every eleven years. However, recent theoretical models indicate that young-rapidly rotating Sun-like stars may not always undergo full magnetic reversals, but instead may sometimes undergo “attempted” reversals where the magnetic field declines in strength only to return with the same polarity. Using the technique of Zeeman Doppler imaging we have mapped the magnetic field topology of a small sample of young Sun-like stars at multiple epochs, and present tentative evidence of an “attempted” magnetic field reversal on one of our stars.