We examine the question of whether or not the non-periodic variations
in solar activity are caused by a white-noise, random process. The Hur
st exponent, which characterizes the persistence of a time series, is
evaluated for the series of C-14 data for the time interval from about
6000 BC to 1950 AD. We find a constant Hurst exponent, suggesting tha
t solar activity in the frequency range from 100 to 3000 years include
s an important continuum component in addition to the well-known perio
dic variations. The value we calculate, H almost-equal-to 0.8, is sign
ificantly larger than the value of 0.5 that would correspond to variat
ions produced by a white-noise process. This value is in good agreemen
t with the results for the monthly sunspot data reported elsewhere, in
dicating that the physics that produces the continuum is a correlated
random process and that it is the same type of process over a wide ran
ge of time interval lengths.