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Sun set for 11-year magnetic pole flip
Times of India ^ | Oct 7, 2013, 05.18 AM IST | Amit Bhattacharya, TNN

Posted on 10/07/2013 9:31:58 AM PDT by DeaconBenjamin

NEW DELHI: A special event is about to occur in our sun, and it could impact our lives. The magnetic poles of the sun — which are like the ends of a giant bar magnet — are about to flip, that is, the polar north will become the polar south and vice versa. According to scientists at the Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford University , the sun could be barely two to three months away from this magnetic field reversal. The change is periodic, taking place once every 11 years or so.

The flip also corresponds with peak activity during the 11-year solar cycle. This is when sunspots — intense magnetic field flu ctuations that appear as dark spots on the solar surface — are highest in number. "When the number of sunspots is highest, a time known as the solar maximum, the sun's large-scale dipole magnetic field starts reversing. This reversal is akin to sun's magnetic poles flipping. It's almost as if a giant magnet inside the sun was turned upside down," said Dibyendu Nandi, an a strop hysicist at Kolkata's Indian Institute of Science Education and Research.

Why does this flip take place? Nandi said that the periodic reversal was linked to the motion of plasma flows inside the sun. The flow of this hot, electrically-charged material tosses and turns one component of the magnetic field into another, eventually changing the sun's dipole field. "This process is technically known as the solar dynamo mechanism and can be studied using computer models which we do in our laboratories," Nandi said. Changes in the sun's magnetic field ripple through the solar system and beyond, a region known as the heliosphere. The weather in space is expected to be most hazardous in the next few months as the flip begins to take place, Nandi said.

"The chances of solar magnetic storms occurring are also high. These storms carry a vast amount of charged particles and magnetic fields through interplanetary space and can pose a threat to satellite operations , telecommunications , air traffic on polar routes and power grids in countries at high latitudes ," the scientist said.

Scientists are watching the event closely to fully understand the changes that take place. It's also of special interest because the current solar cycle — the 24th since 1755, when sunspot activity began to be recorded — is one of the weakest in 100 years. A strong solar magnetic field also acts as a shield against cosmic rays coming from outer space. "Due to the current weak cycle, we have been recording high cosmic ray influx since 2009," said B N Dwivedi of IIT-BHU.

In India, solar magnetic fields are being observed from the solar observatories at Udaipur and Kodaikanal. Then there are theoretical astrophysicists such as Nandi who build computer models to study and predict solar behaviour.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: climatechange; cosmicrays; globalwarming; magneticflip; magneticpoleflip; magneticstorms; sun; sunspots
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1 posted on 10/07/2013 9:31:59 AM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
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To: DeaconBenjamin

barry’s Fault.


2 posted on 10/07/2013 9:34:16 AM PDT by left that other site (You Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall Set You Free...John 8:32)
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To: left that other site

Apparently Rove was responsible 11 years ago.


3 posted on 10/07/2013 9:35:58 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: DeaconBenjamin
This is when sunspots — intense magnetic field flu ctuations that appear as dark spots on the solar surface — are highest in number.

I have news for this..... scientist. Already happened months ago, with further confirmation with Sept numbers just this very AM...


4 posted on 10/07/2013 9:36:32 AM PDT by C210N (When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

5 posted on 10/07/2013 9:38:25 AM PDT by Oratam (Thank you St. Jude!)
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To: Paladin2

I KNEW he had a Hurricane Machine,

but a Solar Magnetic Field Reverser Too? (You need a Very Special permit for one of those!)

YIKES!


6 posted on 10/07/2013 9:41:08 AM PDT by left that other site (You Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall Set You Free...John 8:32)
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To: C210N

I love that chart with the predicted values way off skew with the actual. One would think these “scientists” would revise it. Although in a way, I’m glad it is still shown that way. Shows what THEY know! (Being in the sciences myself I can say that!)


7 posted on 10/07/2013 9:41:32 AM PDT by 21twelve ("We've got the guns, and we got the numbers" adapted and revised from Jim M.)
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To: left that other site

But the word “permit” implies someone thinks they have the power to grant such a request. ....Oops. Spoke too soon. I forgot about the White House.


8 posted on 10/07/2013 9:50:57 AM PDT by Pecos (Kritarchy: government by the judges)
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To: Pecos

Yes. The word “Permit” is loaded.


9 posted on 10/07/2013 9:53:41 AM PDT by left that other site (You Shall Know the Truth, and the Truth Shall Set You Free...John 8:32)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

And I’m going to believe what a scientist has to say....because...?


10 posted on 10/07/2013 9:58:25 AM PDT by rockabyebaby (We are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo screwed!)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Too late all ready flipped
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/10/07/september-solar-slump-continues/


11 posted on 10/07/2013 10:00:02 AM PDT by Bulwinkle (Alec, a.k.a. Daffy Duck)
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To: 21twelve
And, if there was any question about pole-reversal, whether it will be happening in a few months, or if already has reversed...


12 posted on 10/07/2013 10:00:14 AM PDT by C210N (When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)
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To: C210N

The red projection/prediction curve looks optimistic.


13 posted on 10/07/2013 10:01:34 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Crap. There goes my vacation. We were going to go hiking on the sun. Now my compass won’t work. The kids are tired of Jupiter, but I guess we can see it one more time.


14 posted on 10/07/2013 10:10:42 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: C210N

I’m impressed.

It’ s amazing what people know


15 posted on 10/07/2013 10:15:12 AM PDT by bert ((K.E. N.P. N.C. +12 ..... Travon... Felony assault and battery hate crime)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Well....if Guam can tip over then why not the sun?

I am pretty sure that the Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principal shows that we caused this to happen by staring at the sun. Please, god, let the Federal Government regulate sun viewing.

We must do something, anything, to prove that we care.


16 posted on 10/07/2013 10:22:14 AM PDT by FreedomNotSafety
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To: rockabyebaby

Physics is pretty decent science. It’s the climatology clowns that I see as little better than witchdoctors.


17 posted on 10/07/2013 10:23:22 AM PDT by onedoug
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To: 21twelve

You should have seen their original predictions. This solar cycle was supposed to have more activity then the last. They have had to revise it downward numerous times. Bottom line is we are in for some nasty winters over the next 10 years. Very nasty. And then we have Solar Cycle 25 maximum which was has been predicted to be very weak.


18 posted on 10/07/2013 10:23:46 AM PDT by justa-hairyape (The user name is sarcastic. Although at times it may not appear that way.)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

hmmm, the suns flipping of it poles is a cyclical thing, but global warming is not......


19 posted on 10/07/2013 10:23:51 AM PDT by Cyclone59 (Where are we going, and what's with the handbasket?)
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To: Paladin2

Presuming your reference to the sunspot chart, I’ll note that the warmists are predicting a “double peak” to explain it away, and thus keep their optimistically-looking prediction curve. Comparing it to the pole-flipping chart, showing clearly that the flip is in the past, these warmists are nutz.


20 posted on 10/07/2013 10:23:57 AM PDT by C210N (When people fear government there is tyranny; when government fears people there is liberty)
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