High-resolution studies of the solar polar magnetic fields

We present high-resolution studies of the solar polar magnetic fields near sunspot maxi mum in 1989 and towards sunspot minimum in 1995. We show that, in 1989, the polar latitudes were covered by several unipolar regions of b oth polarities. In 1995, however, after the polar field reversal was comple te, each pole exhibited only one dominant polarity region. Each unipolar region contains magnetic knots of both polarities but the num ber count of the knots of the dominant polarity exceeds that of the opposit e polarity by a ratio of order 4:1, and it is rare to find opposite polarit y pairs, i.e., magnetic bipoles. These knots have lifetimes greater than 7 hours but less than 24 hours. We interpret the longitudinal displacement of the knots over a 7-hour period a s a measure of the local rotation rate. This rotation rate is found to be g enerally consistent with Snodgrass' (1983) magnetic rotation law. In an attempt to obtain some insight into the operation of the solar dynamo , sketches of postulated subsurface field configurations corresponding to t he observed surface fields at these two epochs of the solar cycle are prese nted.