Authors: Giuliana de Toma (HAO/NCAR)

The period of solar minimum and rising phase of solar cycle 25 is examined using HMI magnetic field and sunspot observations, and the current status of cycle 25 compared to solar cycle predictions. A semi-automatic code was used to derive sunspot area from the HMI pseudo-continuum images which accurately detects small spots and pores commonly seen near solar minimum. Changes in sunspots and magnetic flux as function of time and latitude were then analyzed during the period 2017-2022. They show a long overlap between cycles 24 and 25 during the recent minimum when both cycles operated on the Sun at a very low level, and a quick transition in late 2019-early 2020 when the new cycle 25 became the dominant cycle. A significant raise in solar activity occurred about a year later, in early 2021. So far, solar cycle 25 has closely followed the rise in activity seen during the previous solar cycle.