Planetary Influences on the Solar Cycle: A Nonlinear Dynamics Approach

We explore the effect of some simple perturbations on three chaotic models proposed to describe large scale solar behavior via the solar dynamo theory: the Lorenz and the Rikitake systems, and a Van der Pol-Duffing oscillator. Planetary magnetic fields affecting the solar dynamo activity have been simulated by using harmonic perturbations. These perturbations introduce cycle intermittency and amplitude irregularities revealed by the frequency spectra of the nonlinear signals. Furthermore, we have found that the perturbative intensity acts as an order parameter in the correlations between the system and the external forcing. Our findings suggest a promising avenue to study the sunspot activity by using nonlinear dynamics methods.