T.E.Girish, G.Gopkumar
Department of Physics, University College, Trivandrum 695
034, India
A secular decreasing trend in poloidal to toroidal solar magnetic flux amplification factor (Af) is inferred from geomagnetic data during the solar cycles 9-23.This can pose restrictions to maximum sunpot activity observable and also help us in the prediction of space weather conditions near earth. If Af continues the prevailing long term trend,the space weather conditions during the next solar cycle 24 will not be severe than the same observed during solar cycle 23. We have attemped to explain the occurences of super geomagnetic storms during low amplitude sunspot cycles in terms of distinct enhancements in solar magnetic flux amplification factor. The role of temporal changes in solar equatorial rotation rate in this context will also be dicussed.