Understanding the long-term variations in total solar

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the abstract and stated research gap and future-work section and limitations section of the source papers, classified as general, spanning 3 journals.

Supporting evidence — 5 representative gaps

• The "Other" Centuries-Long Record of Solar Magnetic Activity Cycles: Lessons From the Stars (2026) · Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate · doi

  Studies of space climate and solar magnetic activity and studies of stellar dynamos and magnetic cycles are separated by discipline and by the quality of the data we have to work with: the Sun gives us detailed knowledge of a single star, while the stars give us comparatively sparse data across a range of (sometimes poorly known) masses and ages.

  generalabstract
  Keywords: magnetic space climate solar activity stellar dynamos cycles separated discipline quality gives detailed knowledge single
• Re-evaluating solar irradiance reconstructions: No evidence of large secular trends (2026) · Astronomy & Astrophysics · doi

  There is a gap in understanding the long-term variations in total solar irradiance. The current irradiance reconstructions are uncertain and may not accurately represent the secular trends in TSI. There is a need for more accurate and robust reconstructions of total solar irradiance.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there gap understanding long-term variations total solar irradiance
• Re-evaluating solar irradiance reconstructions: No evidence of large secular trends (2026) · Astronomy & Astrophysics · doi

  Future research should focus on improving proxy records, such as cosmogenic isotopes, sunspots, and Ca ii K. Future research should aim to develop more accurate and robust reconstructions of total solar irradiance. Future research should investigate the variability associated with small-scale magnetic fields on timescales longer than those covered by current observations.

  generalfuture-work sectionevidence 5/5
  Keywords: future research focus improving proxy records cosmogenic isotopes
• Re-evaluating solar irradiance reconstructions: No evidence of large secular trends (2026) · Astronomy & Astrophysics · doi

  Cross-calibrating modulation potential reconstructions from cosmogenic isotopes against neutron monitor data remains highly uncertain. The study cannot completely rule out variability associated with small-scale magnetic fields on timescales longer than those covered by current observations.

  generallimitations sectionevidence 5/5
  Keywords: cross-calibrating modulation potential reconstructions cosmogenic isotopes against neutron
• The frequency spectrum of the solar-wind magnetic-field fluctuations that reside outside the strong current sheets: fast and slow solar wind (2026) · Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences · doi

  Future research could utilize a much-larger data set to bring broader statistical confirmation of the results. The study of the magnetic-field fluctuations ΔB of the solar wind and how these fluctuations connect to the level of activity in the Earth's magnetosphere could be explored.

  generalfuture-work sectionevidence 5/5
  Keywords: future research utilize much-larger data set bring broader

Questions about this gap