The Rotation Profile of Solar Magnetic Fields Between ±60° Latitudes

Through a cross-correlation analysis of the Carrington synoptic maps of solar photospheric magnetic fields from Carrington Rotation Nos. 1625 to 2129 (from 1975 February to 2012 October), the sidereal rotation rates of solar magnetic fields between ±60° latitudes are investigated. It seems that the temporal variation of rotation rates should be related to the solar cycle phase. The rotation profile of magnetic fields is obtained: the sidereal rotation rates decrease from the equator to mid-latitude and reach their minimum values of about 13.16 deg day−1 (13.17 deg day−1) at 53° (54°) latitude in the northern (southern) hemisphere, then increase toward higher latitudes. This rotation profile is different from the differential rotation law obtained by Snodgrass from a cross-correlation analysis of daily magnetograms, in which the rotation rates show a steep decrease from the equator to the poles. However, it is much closer to the quasi-rigid rotation law derived by Stenflo from an auto-correlation analysis of daily magnetograms. Some possible interpretations are discussed for the resulting rotation profile.