Plasma and Magnetic Fields in the Heliosphere at the Growth Phase of Solar Cycle 23: Comparison with Previous Cycles

The average values of the parameters of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field at the Earth's orbit are calculated by using the results of direct measurements performed in the current and three previous solar cycles. Individual and general features of each cycle are analyzed by the method of superposition of epochs and hysteresis curves. The similarity in trends of solar cycles 23 and 20 at their growth phase is revealed. This gives additional reason to expect that the current solar cycle as a whole will be weaker than the two previous cycles.