Posted on 09/24/2008 8:56:22 PM PDT by SmithL
The intensity of the sun's million-mile-per-hour solar wind has dropped to its lowest levels since accurate records began half a century ago, scientists say.
Measurements of the cosmic blasts of radiation, ejected from the sun's upper atmosphere, were made with the Ulysses spacecraft, a joint mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The solar wind "inflates a protective bubble, or heliosphere, around the solar system," which protects the inner planets against the radiation from other stars, said Dave McComas, Ulysses' solar wind principal investigator and senior executive director at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas.
"With the solar wind at an all-time low, there is an excellent chance the heliosphere will diminish in size and strength," said Ed Smith, NASA's Ulysses project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
"If that occurs, more galactic cosmic rays will make it into the inner part of our solar system," added Smith.
Scientists say the weakening of solar wind appears to be due to changes in the sun's magnetic field, but the causes of these changes are unknown.
The weakened solar activity can be beneficial because it slows satellites around the Earth, allowing them to remain in orbit longer.
The sun normally experiences 11-year-cycles between periods of great activity and lesser activity.
But, Smith said, the Ulysses mission's recent results, published in Geophysical Research Letters, show that "we are in a period of minimal activity that has stretched on longer than anyone anticipated."
The Ulysses mission was the first project to survey the space environment over the sun's poles. The data the spacecraft has collected has profoundly changed the way scientists view our nearest star and its effects on the Earth.
The spacecraft has traveled more than 539 million kilometers in more than 18 years, almost four times its expected lifetime.
God, I long for the good ol’ days. Take 1957, f’rinstance. Great year fer sunspots.....
This means??? colder winter this year??? more snow??? less snow???
Just include the phrase; "as it relates to Global Warming", in your grant request.
That should do it no matter who wins the election.
We are doomed (;>)
I think more of a normal winter would be the best way to say it. Should get some snow in the south this year. Have not have any for a while. (at least any that stayed more than a day or so).
I think we just had a small cluster of 8 which lasted about a day. They were labeled Cycle 24 spots, but I’m not so sure about that. In my very humble opinion, their latitude was a little low for 24. I don’t know about their polarity yet.
/tin foil hat on
Just wait till 2012!
/tin foil hat off
The theory and history goes as follows: (It isn’t proved, but damn well looks accurate when you look at history)
When there is a bigger magnetic shield around the earth. (sunspots and the solar wind cause this to be bigger when they are and smaller when they are.) When it is big less cosmic rays get here. Smaller means less magnetic field around the earth.
Cosmic rays cause ionic blips up high that cause nucleation sites and cause water moisture to coalesce into clouds.
This means: cloudier which means more solar reflection so colder. (reflect sunlight) Snowier since there are clouds and more snow crystal nucleation sites. (well you know this part)
;-) I cant help myself, so lets blizzard for Gore
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Who’da thunk? The sun breaking wind. Send more beans.
It goes without saying that it’s Bush’s fault.
;’)
...and women, children, and minorities hardest hit...
Thank you, I thought that might be the case. SOOO... stock up on batteries, wood for the fireplace, and break out the long johns, its gonna be a cold winter..... :)
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