Figure 18 shows the behavior of Γ11 as a function of disorder
Δ for the solar cycle. We note that the most probable value of
Γ11 is ∼0.22 in correspondence to Δ ∼ 0.68, a value that clearly
underlines how complexity plays a fundamental role in the evolution
of solar cycle. To associate complexity with the different
phases of the solar cycle more accurately in Fig. 19 we compare
the complexity measure Γs
11, averaged over 37 Carrington
solar rotations to reduce small-scale noise (see also Fig. 15) and
emphasize its mid-long term evolution with the corresponding
solar cycle, described by the total hemispheric sunspot coverage
(AT ). Solar maxima correspond to complex states, while solar
minima relate to more disordered and less complex configurations.
This result, inferred from the existence of two different
dynamical regimes/processes (as shown in previous analyses),
clearly suggests that the sunspot cycle is the result of interacting
processes in an open system.