Re: What affects the sun to increase solar activity in the 11 year cycle

As usual, there are many sites on the internet that address this question. 
 While the exact cause of the sunspot cycle is not yet understood, current 
models favor the interaction of the suns rotation with the magnetic field 
generated by the dynamo effect of ionized gases within the sun.  The 
resulting 11 year cycle is probably affected most by the size of the sun.  
Larger, longer cycle; smaller, shorter cycle.  Near the equator of the sun, 
the rotation period is shorter by days than the period at higher latitudes. 
 This differential rotation twists and distorts the sun's magnetic field, 
reversing its polarity with each cycle.