NASA's Latest Discovery: Sun Heats the Earth

The American Thinker ^ | June 05, 2009 | Otis A. Glazebrook IV

[Scanian]

Robert Calahan at NASA’s Goddard Space Center could be in big trouble -- for telling the truth. Here is a headline for an article in the Daily Tech:

"NASA Study Acknowledges Solar Cycle, Not Man, Responsible for Past Warming"

Here are some excerpts from the piece:

A study from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland looking at climate data over the past century has concluded that solar variation has made a significant impact on the Earth's climate. The report concludes that evidence for climate changes based on solar radiation can be traced back as far as the Industrial Revolution.

Past research has shown that the sun goes through eleven year cycles. At the cycle's peak, solar activity occurring near sunspots is particularly intense, basking the Earth in solar heat. According to Robert Cahalan, a climatologist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, "Right now, we are in between major ice ages, in a period that has been called the Holocene."

This report may represent the third time that NASA’s DR. James Hansen, Al Gore’s point man on his AGW hoax, has had to backtrack on his claims that humans are responsible for climate change.

In the past Dr. Hansen was forced to admit that 1934, not 1998, was the warmest year on record due to a lack of standardization of weather reporting stations. Hansen also misstated that “October 2008 was the hottest on record,” largely because the data used repeated September’s.

[WayneS]

So is “Ra” now the god of football cheers?

[rdl6989]

NASA's Latest Discovery: Sun Heats the Earth It's 2009. NASA was bound to make this scientific breakthrough sooner or later. :D

[COBOL2Java]

Don’t forget the 5th element: hash

Mmmm!

Oh, you mean the OTHER hash?

[stentorian conservative]

Only one problem with that theory. . .

There are none so blind as those who will not see.

[Mouton]

NASA’s chief global weather scientist and recent Zero appointee is probably planing a night mission to the sun to examine its heat production process.

[COBOL2Java]

Don’t forget the 5th element: hash

I thought it was Milla Jovovich!

[RoadTest]

“NASA’s Latest Discovery: Sun Heats the Earth

Amazing! Wow! This just in: “Sun Heats Earth!” Stop the presses. Call Al Gore. Call BO!

[ExGeeEye]

The "solar/sunspot cycle" involves *magnetic activity*, not changes in heat output.

Well, that's a relief.

However, I don't think we ought to consider replacing the Ball of Fire with a Giant Magnet just yet.

[RoadTest]

“I am not sure, but one thing I have noticed too is that it is a lot brighter when that thing is up too. But I am not sure whether it is the man made clocks or the sun yet that really controls how bright it is. I am thinking clocks play a more significant role.”

Let’s all do our part! Watch your clocks to make sure they don’t heat up the sun too much!

[GreyFriar]

Oh my gosh, who’d a thunk it!!!

[Rocky]

Very informative post. Thank you.

[reefdiver]

Its going to go for a ride to every nut case I can find thats to copy and paste

[aruanan]

According to Robert Cahalan, a climatologist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, "Right now, we are in between major ice ages, in a period that has been called the Holocene."

From what I've read, there have been a few ice ages that have spanned many millions of years. Each of these ice ages is composed of alternating glacial and interglacial periods of roughly 100,000 and 10,000 years in length respectively. At the present we are in what is believed to be an interglacial period within the most recent ice age. I supposed some could think that since it's gone on a bit longer than the last four interglacial periods of the current ice age we could have come out into a major period of warming between major ice ages. I don't think it's been warm enough for that, though. And if this were the case, it would only underline the fact that it's a somewhat regular, natural occurrence.

[ETL]

You’re welcome. There is in fact *some* extra heat put out by the Sun during peaks in the solar/sunspot cycle, but not very much. The main likely link between the solar/sunspot cycle and Earth climate is described in my post #23.

[hellbender]

The report concludes that evidence for climate changes based on solar radiation can be traced back as far as the Industrial Revolution.

Actually, variations in thickness of annual layers indicate that the sunspot cycle and other solar variations were affecting Earth's climate at least as far back as the Paleozoic, hundreds of millions of years ago.

[mad_as_he$$]

Duh, so how many gazillions of $$ did the geniuses at NASA spend to figure that out.

[TheFrog]

Ok, lets just tax the sun. ;)

[mad_as_he$$]

Thank you!!! And She is not hash!!!

[hellbender]

After he retired from heavenly duties, Sun Ra was a jazz musician for a while.

[mad_as_he$$]

Robert Cahalan is a first order Cool-Aid drinker and all around putz.