  A direct dynamical test of the sunspot-cycle is carried out which indicates
that a stochastically forced non-linear oscillator characterizes its dynamics.
The sunspot series is then decomposed into its eigen time-delay coordinates.
The analysis of these coordinates reveals that the sunspot series exhibits
bistability, and suggests the possibility of modeling the solar cycle as a
stochastically and periodically forced bistable oscillator, accounting for the
Poloidal and Toroidal modes of the solar magnetic field. Such a representation
of the sunspot series in terms of stochastic bistable dynamical system enables
us to conjecture stochastic resonance as the key mechanism in amplifying the
planetary influence of Jupiter on the sun, and that extreme events, due to
turbulent convection noise inside the sun, dictate crucial phases of the
sunspot cycle, such as the Maunder minimum.
