Calm solar cycle prompts questions about impact on Earth

BigPete · Nov 25, 2013

http://news.yahoo.com/calm-solar-cycle-prompts-questions-impact-earth-213912384.html



AFP - By Jean-Louis Santini


Washington (AFP) - The surface of the sun has been surprisingly calm of late -- with fewer sunspots than anytime in in the last century -- prompting curious scientists to wonder just what it might mean here on Earth.
<div style="font-size:12px;margin:0px 0px 1.1em 10px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">
<div>
<div>

</div>
</div>
</div>
Sunspots have been observed for millennia -- first by Chinese astronomers and then, for the first time with a telescope, by Galileo in 1610.
The sunspots appear in roughly 11-year cycles -- increasing to a daily flurry and then subsiding drastically, before amping up again.
But this cycle -- dubbed cycle 24 -- has surprised scientists with its sluggishness.
The number of spots counted since it kicked off in December 2008 is well below the average observed over the last 250 years. In fact, it's less than half.
"It is the weakest cycle the sun has been in for all the space age, for 50 years," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association physicist Doug Biesecker told AFP.
The intense electromagnetic energy from sunspots has a significant impact on the sun's ultraviolet and X-ray emissions as well as on solar storms.
Solar storms can interrupt telecommunications and electronic networks on Earth. Sunspot activity can also have an impact on the Earth's climate.
Cycle 23 hit its maximum in April 2000 with an average of 120 solar spots a day. The cycle then wound down, hitting bottom around December 2008, the point at which scientists marked the start of the current cycle.
The minimal solar activity at the end of cycle 23 led astronomers to predict a slow cycle 24. But the reality fell even below expectations.
In the first year of the cycle, during which solar activity should have risen, astronomers counted 266 days without a single sun spot.
"The forecast peak was 90 sunspots," Biesecker said, noting that even though the activity has risen over the past year, "it's very clear it is not going to be close to 90."
"The sunspots number peaked last year at 67, almost half a typical cycle," he added.
The last time a sunspot cycle was this slow was in February 1906, the peak of cycle 14, with just 64 spots a day.
The "very long minimum: three years, three times more than the previous three cycles of the space age" was a major surprise, said University of Montana physicist Andres Munoz-Jamillio.
 
A magnetic switch
Cycle 24 has also diverged from the norm in another surprising way.
Typically, around the end of each 11-year sunspot cycle, the sun's magnetic fields switch direction. The northern and southern hemispheres change polarity, usually simultaneously.
During the swap, the strength of the magnetic fields drops to near zero and reappears when the polarity is reversed, scientists explain.
But this time, something different seems to be happening. The north pole already reversed its polarity several months ago -- and so it's now the same polarity as the south pole.
According to the most recent satellite measurements, "the south hemisphere should flip on the near future," said Todd Hoeksema, director of the Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University.
He didn't seem concerned about the phenomenon.
But scientists are watching the sun carefully to see whether cycle 24 is going to be an aberration -- or if this solar calmness is going to stretch through the next cycle as well.
"We won't know that for another good three or four years," said Biesecker.
Some researchers speculate this could be the start of a prolonged period of weak solar activity.
The last time that happened, during the so-called "Maunder Minimum" between 1650 and 1715, almost no sunspots were observed. During the same period, temperatures dropped sharply on Earth, sparking what is called the "Little Ice Age" in Europe and North America.
As the sunspot numbers continue to stay low, it's possible the Earth's climate is being affected again.
But thanks to global warming, we're unlikely to see another ice age. "Things have not started to cooling, they just have not risen as quickly," Biesecker said.

BiscuitintheBasket · Nov 25, 2013

Wow, finally mainstream news.

Pez68 · Nov 27, 2013

I would think this would be a much bigger topic of discussion than anything right now. Seeing as how it could dramatically affect life on the planet.

BigPete · Nov 27, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pez68" data-cid="215517" data-time="1385570403">
<div>

I would think this would be a much bigger topic of discussion than anything right now. Seeing as how it could dramatically affect life on the planet.
</div>
</blockquote>







I think there are many people that don't believe this will affect them because the don't understand it, then there are many people that accept life as a finite thing, and finally there are many people that think their creator wouldn't let something bad happen to them...unless of course they are to be sacrificed as part of his plan...

supraman · Nov 27, 2013

Fucking global warming

The Count Dante · Nov 27, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BigPete" data-cid="215535" data-time="1385572778">
<div>

I think there are many people that don't believe this will affect them because the don't understand it, then there are many people that accept life as a finite thing, and finally there are many people that think their creator wouldn't let something bad happen to them...unless of course they are to be sacrificed as part of his plan...
</div>
</blockquote>



In this case? Whatever the Sun wants to do, it is gonna do. Not exactly a lot humanity is going to do to influence the sun. 



I am also in the finite life camp with no kids. When the planet burns, _I_ wont be here so all this seems like a Your Problem more than a Me Problem. 



So good luck with all that! Now, where did I put my aerosol hairspray... OH! In my house powered by coal! Let me just get all these lights turned on here...

roshinaya · Nov 28, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pez68" data-cid="215517" data-time="1385570403">

I would think this would be a much bigger topic of discussion than anything right now. Seeing as how it could dramatically affect life on the planet.</blockquote>
How would it dramatically affect life on this planet? It's not like the Sun is going to go nova.

Chief Walking Stick · Nov 28, 2013

Slow day in news.

BiscuitintheBasket · Nov 28, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-time="1385570403" data-cid="215517" data-author="Pez68">

I would think this would be a much bigger topic of discussion than anything right now. Seeing as how it could dramatically affect life on the planet.</blockquote>
This current trend has been known for quite some time....but it would go against Al Gore making money. That is why I find it interesting that it is finally being discussed.

What is even more interesting is that dudes in the 1700's and 1800's caught on to this trend, and perhaps even the Chinese did 1000+ years ago.

BiscuitintheBasket · Nov 28, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-time="1385619371" data-cid="215596" data-author="roshinaya">

How would it dramatically affect life on this planet? It's not like the Sun is going to go nova.</blockquote>
Temperature drop on opposite levels discussed in global warming.

Pez68 · Nov 29, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BiscuitInTheBasket2in17" data-cid="215623" data-time="1385659040">
<div>

Temperature drop on opposite levels discussed in global warming.
</div>
</blockquote>



Ding....


<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">



The last time that happened, during the so-called "Maunder Minimum" between 1650 and 1715, almost no sunspots were observed. During the same period, temperatures dropped sharply on Earth, sparking what is called the "Little Ice Age" in Europe and North America.
</blockquote>

winos5 · Nov 30, 2013

I blame solar panels. They are draining all the solar energy....

Chief Walking Stick · Nov 30, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="winos5" data-cid="215712" data-time="1385854536">

I blame solar panels. They are draining all the solar energy....</blockquote>
Better start making those solar panels wear tinted visors.

Tater · Nov 30, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Grimson" data-cid="215713" data-time="1385855056">
<div>

Better start making those solar panels wear tinted visors.
</div>
</blockquote>



And ban fighting damn it.

BiscuitintheBasket · Dec 2, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-time="1385859348" data-cid="215717" data-author="Tater">

And ban fighting damn it.</blockquote>
If just for all the heat fights generate.

MassHavoc · Dec 2, 2013

I have to admit I didn't read much of the article but mostly because I don't understand what the **** they were talking about.

The Count Dante · Dec 2, 2013

Here, I will help...\



http://digg.com/video/climate-change-deniers-supercut

MassHavoc · Dec 2, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="The Deadliest Man Alive" data-cid="215830" data-time="1386023390">
<div>

Here, I will help...\



http://digg.com/video/climate-change-deniers-supercut
</div>
</blockquote>

Wow.. just wow... luckily I didn't recognize the guys that I saw... hope they were local and not federal...



I should point out that I read enough to see something about there being less solar flares or something, but I stopped there because I just didn't really see how it mattered in the overall longevity of the arguments. Especially since I think it said data only goes back like 100 years.

roshinaya · Dec 3, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MassHavoc" data-cid="215831" data-time="1386023582">

Wow.. just wow... luckily I didn't recognize the guys that I saw... hope they were local and not federal...</blockquote>
Two federal congressmen and a senator. Shimkus from Illinois. How do these sort of people actually get elected?!

Spunky Porkstacker · Dec 3, 2013

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="roshinaya" data-cid="215850" data-time="1386053455">
<div>

Two federal congressmen and a senator. Shimkus from Illinois. How do these sort of people actually get elected?!
</div>
</blockquote>



Amazing isn't it.

Calm solar cycle prompts questions about impact on Earth

New member

CCS Donator

Fire Waldron

New member

New member

CCS Donator

fnord

CCS Donator

CCS Donator

CCS Donator

Fire Waldron

CCS Donator

CCS Donator

CCS Donator

CCS Donator

Moderator

CCS Donator

Moderator

fnord

CCS Donator