Differences in the sun's radiative output in cycles 22 and 23

Analysis of the current solar cycle 23 shows a greater increase in total solar irradiance (TSI) for the early phase of this cycle than expected from measurements of the total magnetic flux and traditional solar activity indices, which indicate that cycle 23 is weaker than cycle 22. In contrast, space observations of TSI from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/VIRGO and the Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite/ACRIMII show an increase in TSI of about 0.8-1.0 W m^-2 from solar minimum in 1996 to the end of 1999. This is comparable to the TSI increase measured by Nimbus 7/ERB from 1986 to 1989 during the previous cycle. Thus, solar radiative output near the maximum of the 11 yr cycle has been relatively constant despite a factor of 2 smaller amplitude increase for cycle 23 in sunspot and facular areas determined from ground-based observations. As a result, empirical models of TSI based on sunspot deficit and facular/network excess in cycle 22 underestimate the TSI measurements in 1999. This suggests either a problem in the observations or a change in the sources of radiative variability on the Sun.