Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century (Gore/Hansen minimum upon us?)
daily tech ^ | 9/2/2008 | daily tech

Posted on 09/02/2008 7:12:34 AM PDT by milwguy

Drop in solar activity has potential effect for climate on earth.

The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted.

The event is significant as many climatologists now believe solar magnetic activity – which determines the number of sunspots -- is an influencing factor for climate on earth.

According to data from Mount Wilson Observatory, UCLA, more than an entire month has passed without a spot. The last time such an event occurred was June of 1913. Sunspot data has been collected since 1749.

When the sun is active, it's not uncommon to see sunspot numbers of 100 or more in a single month. Every 11 years, activity slows, and numbers briefly drop to near-zero. Normally sunspots return very quickly, as a new cycle begins.

But this year -- which corresponds to the start of Solar Cycle 24 -- has been extraordinarily long and quiet, with the first seven months averaging a sunspot number of only 3. August followed with none at all. The astonishing rapid drop of the past year has defied predictions, and caught nearly all astronomers by surprise.

In 2005, a pair of astronomers from the National Solar Observatory (NSO) in Tucson attempted to publish a paper in the journal Science. The pair looked at minute spectroscopic and magnetic changes in the sun. By extrapolating forward, they reached the startling result that, within 10 years, sunspots would vanish entirely. At the time, the sun was very active. Most of their peers laughed at what they considered an unsubstantiated conclusion.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailytech.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: climate; climatechange; globalwarming; gore; solar; solaractivity; sun; sunspots
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last
[T]he growing season was shortened by the coldest and gloomiest start to June since records have been kept.


21 posted on 09/02/2008 7:33:00 AM PDT by XR7
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: milwguy

Women, children hardest hit....


22 posted on 09/02/2008 7:33:36 AM PDT by Republican Extremist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: shankbear
"So the long rumored Karl Rove anti-sunspot machine REALLY does work."

AAHAAHAA! The magnificent bastard has successfully twisted (spelt "wrung") the panties of global warmers!

23 posted on 09/02/2008 7:33:38 AM PDT by azhenfud (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Republican Extremist

What about minorities?


24 posted on 09/02/2008 7:44:18 AM PDT by Camel Joe (liberal=socialist=royalist/imperialist pawn=enemy of Freedom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: milwguy
The sun may be blowing up Gore and his zealots religion of global warming very soon. The so called 'experts' such as Hathaway and Hansen are already scrambling to explain why temps are cooling, and solar cycle 24 is on hold. Will be fun to watch, although up here in the north, not looking forward to colder temps.

Never underestimate the ability of these people to lie, there are trillions of $$ and a religion at stake. No matter how cold it gets they will just make up whatever numbers they need to in order to keep the AGW gravy train going

Just look at there numbers for JULY


25 posted on 09/02/2008 7:44:20 AM PDT by qam1 (There's been a huge party. All plates and the bottles are empty, all that's left is the bill to pay)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy

That would not be very cool.


26 posted on 09/02/2008 8:06:53 AM PDT by PeteB570 (NRA - Life member and Black Rifle owner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ClearCase_guy
It’s about to go nova!

You know, I'm beginning to think that wouldn't be such a bad thing after all is said and done.

Still, I'd be just as happy if this is the prelude to a new ice age.
27 posted on 09/02/2008 8:18:45 AM PDT by Dr.Zoidberg ("Shut the hell up, New York Times, you sanctimonious whining jerks!" - Craig Ferguson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: milwguy

Who cares about what Al Gore things? What does Jor-el think?


28 posted on 09/02/2008 8:20:10 AM PDT by MIchaelTArchangel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MIchaelTArchangel
Who cares about what Al Gore things? What does Jor-el think?

Actually, Al Gore is the Anglicized spelling of Jor-el. When he fled to Earth, he changed his name to El Jor, and then his accent made it sound like, like ...

OK, look, the damned coffee maker is broken, all right? And I'm out of instant.

29 posted on 09/02/2008 8:33:43 AM PDT by Fatuncle (Of course I'm ignorant. I'm here to learn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: milwguy

I love the way you named it the Gore/Hansen Minimum!


30 posted on 09/02/2008 8:45:02 AM PDT by SubMareener (Become a monthly donor! Free FreeRepublic.com from Quarterly FReepathons!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gritty-Kitty

Isn’t that the way life works?


31 posted on 09/02/2008 9:12:32 AM PDT by bonnieblue4me
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Camel Joe

Have you tried Scope?


32 posted on 09/02/2008 9:17:50 AM PDT by bonnieblue4me
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Republican Extremist

You forgot ‘minorities’.


33 posted on 09/02/2008 9:19:27 AM PDT by bonnieblue4me
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: bonnieblue4me

Of course, minty fresh clouds of breath don’t cost as many carbon credits...


34 posted on 09/02/2008 9:33:01 AM PDT by Camel Joe (liberal=socialist=royalist/imperialist pawn=enemy of Freedom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: milwguy

Just be careful what u wish for. Global cooling = less precip, of all kinds.

Global cooling is a bad thing en toto.


35 posted on 09/02/2008 10:03:12 AM PDT by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: milwguy
"the [sunspot] effects are most important at certain latitudes and altitudes which control climate.....the relationship needs more study before we can understand it fully.

On the other hand, we can make firm conclusions about CO2 effects on climate with no data at all.

36 posted on 09/02/2008 11:57:27 AM PDT by norwaypinesavage (Global Warming Theory is extremely robust with respect to data. All observations confirm it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: milwguy; All

Regarding this news, and the obvious natural basis of the current “warming period”; when is it usually the “coldest” part of winter and the “hottest” part of summer? Answer, when the cold, or hot part of the cycle is peaking and the trend is beginning to move in the opposite direction.

We - humans on earth - have been in a centuries long “warming” period, and certainly, now, as that trend nears it’s end, it would seem “hotter and getting hotter”, than ever before (in OUR memories). Its the natural nature of cycles; not human activity.


37 posted on 09/02/2008 12:15:11 PM PDT by Wuli
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Neoliberalnot

It’s true that the sun is not a renewable energy source and it will eventually burn out. What we need to do is use an alternative biofuel that does not use up the suns energy, mushrooms come to mind.


38 posted on 09/02/2008 3:20:35 PM PDT by Taxbilly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Blueflag
Just be careful what u wish for. Global cooling = less precip, of all kinds. Global cooling is a bad thing en toto.

You can pry my gun from my dehydrated cold dead hands.

39 posted on 09/02/2008 3:32:52 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Taxbilly

Excellent thought. Mushrooms can be grown in a cave. They are however, a bit short on chlorophyll and they ferment poorly.


40 posted on 09/02/2008 4:33:15 PM PDT by Neoliberalnot ((Hallmarks of Liberalism: Ingratitude and Envy))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson