  The solar brightness varies on timescales from minutes to decades. A clear
identification of the physical processes behind such variations is needed for
developing and improving physics-based models of solar brightness variability
and reconstructing solar brightness in the past. This is, in turn, important
for better understanding the solar-terrestrial and solar-stellar connections.
  We estimate the relative contributions of the continuum, molecular, and
atomic lines to the solar brightness variations on different timescales.
  Our approach is based on the assumption that variability of the solar
brightness on timescales greater than a day is driven by the evolution of the
solar surface magnetic field. We calculated the solar brightness variations
employing the solar disc area coverage of magnetic features deduced from the
MDI/SOHO observations. The brightness contrasts of magnetic features relative
to the quiet Sun were calculated with a non-LTE radiative transfer code as
functions of disc position and wavelength. By consecutive elimination of
molecular and atomic lines from the radiative transfer calculations, we
assessed the role of these lines in producing solar brightness variability.
  We show that the variations in Fraunhofer lines define the amplitude of the
solar brightness variability on timescales greater than a day and even the
phase of the total solar irradiance variability over the 11-year cycle. We also
demonstrate that molecular lines make substantial contribution to solar
brightness variability on the 11-year activity cycle and centennial timescales.
In particular, our model indicates that roughly a quarter of the total solar
irradiance variability over the 11-year cycle originates in molecular lines.
The maximum of the absolute spectral brightness variability on timescales
greater than a day is associated with the CN violet system between 380 and 390
nm.
