Solar-activity cycle from observations of magnetic characteristics of prominences

Abstract

According to measurements of the magnetic fields in quiescent prominences carried out by different teams in 1964–1989, the maximum values of the field correspond to the minimum values of the Wolf numbers averaged through the corresponding periods of observations. It has been shown that the synoptic noneclipse 2D linear polarimetry of quiescent Hα-prominences can be actually implemented; this method is based on the use of a coronagraph with a primary-optics diameter equal to or larger than 100 mm, a narrow-band filter with FWHM ≤ 0.4 nm, a standard linear polariod, and a high-precision linear polarimetric technique.