Aims of the ISSI Team

The sunspot number series forms the longest observational dataset in existence and is the primary index of long-term solar variability, used in more than 100 publications each year across the fields of solar, solar-terrestrial, geophysics and statistics. Accordingly, its reliability is crucial.

This ISSI Team aims to resolve the uncertainties related to the sunspot series and to produce a consensus new-generation series, based on the modern methods and knowledge of physical processes leading to sunspot variability. The ultimate goal is to provide a consensus “best” sunspot number reference(s), including accurate estimates of the uncertainties, for use by the whole scientific community