Evolution of the large-scale magnetic field on the solar surface:: A parameter study

Magnetic flux emerging on the Sun's surface in the form of bipolar magnetic regions is redistributed by supergranular diffusion, a poleward meridional flow and differential rotation. We perform a systematic and extensive parameter study of the influence of various parameters on the large-scale field, in particular the total unsigned surface flux and the flux in the polar caps, using a flux transport model. We investigate both, model parameters and source term properties. We identify the average tilt angle of the emerging bipolar regions, the diffusion coefficient (below a critical value), the total emergent flux and, for the polar field, the meridional flow velocity and the cycle length as parameters with a particularly large effect. Of special interest is the influence of the overlap between successive cycles. With increasing overlap, an increasing background field ( minimum flux at cycle minimum) is built up, which is of potential relevance for secular trends of solar activity and total irradiance.