 |
||
| · join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe · | ||
Posted on 09/15/2010 9:38:58 AM PDT by Pyro7480
Scientists studying sunspots for the past 2 decades have concluded that the magnetic field that triggers their formation has been steadily declining. If the current trend continues, by 2016 the sun's face may become spotless and remain that way for decades—a phenomenon that in the 17th century coincided with a prolonged period of cooling on Earth.
Sunspots appear when upwellings of the sun's magnetic field trap ionized plasma—or electrically charged, superheated gas—on the surface. Normally, the gas would release its heat and sink back below the surface, but the magnetic field inhibits this process. From Earth, the relatively cool surface gas looks like a dark blemish on the sun.
...[S]cientists have long known that the sun goes through an 11-year cycle, in which the number of sunspots spikes during a period called the solar maximum and drops—sometimes to zero—during a time of inactivity called the solar minimum.
The last solar minimum should have ended last year, but something peculiar has been happening. Although solar minimums normally last about 16 months, the current one has stretched over 26 months—the longest in a century. One reason...is that the magnetic field strength of sunspots appears to be waning.
Since 1990, solar astronomers Matthew Penn and William Livingston...have been studying the magnetic strength of sunspots....Penn and Livingston conclude that the average magnetic field strength of sunspots has declined from about 2700 gauss—the average strength of Earth's field is less than 1 gauss—to about 2000 gauss. The reasons for the decrease are not clearly understood, but if the trend continues, sunspot field strength will drop to 1500 gauss by as early as 2016. Because 1500 gauss is the minimum required to produce sunspots, Livingston says, at that level they would no longer be possible.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.sciencemag.org ...
You bet....Even Bush moved back to the city....
How do we know this isn’t in the same league as “glaciers will melt by 2035?”
After all, no one really knows.....
Hot or cold? Hot or cold? Which is it gonna be? Sounds like mother Earth is going through menopause..........
Oh, I guess THAT's the problem. Also, my increase in planetary mass.
|
||
| · join · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post new topic · subscribe · | ||
Wow, that’s great...
Boy it’s gonna suck being hot and cold at the same time.
Thanks!
My pleasure.
Well, there goes 10 and 6 meter DX down the crapper. B-P BTW, during the Maunder Minimum, had their been amateur radio and other HF communications, the Maximum Usable Frequency might have been around 4000 kc (80/75 meters) or even, worse, 2000 kc (160 meters). I’m sure the late Stew Perry (1904-1990), W1BB, would love that, he was deeply into 160 meters. Long distance daytime DX communications would not exist and you would have to wait until nightfall to communicate long distances.
Well howdy fellow Sacramentan!
We’ve got solar for our pool and it’s still not warm enough for what I consider optimum swimming temperature (84 degrees—yes, I’m a wimp).
Funny that when I was a kid I remember making fun of an older cousin who wouldn’t swim until the pool was 80; now I consider that a little on the cold side. Ah the joys of getting older! :-)
Instead of heating the pool, get a short sleeve or sleeve less 3mm wetsuit, you will be surprised how comfortable it makes it.
Very important report. I believe this finding explains White House panic:
White House Science Czar: “’Global Warming’ is a Dangerous Misnomer”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2590115/posts
[Cool down the “warming” con and shift to “climate change” con.]
“Everyone knows that SUVs warm the earth, not the sun.”
Actually, SUV’s warm the sun, which then warms the earth. The physical mechanism is a little unclear—but scientists have proven by consensus that American excess is the very powerful sixth force in nature. IT’s actually one of the six fundamental forces of the universe and binds quarks to higgs bosons at nanoscales. So that probably has something to do with it. Those SUV suckers are just loaded with quarks and bosons.
“Any chance we can tax our way out of the 2012 galactic alignment?”
Zero says we can tax and spend our way out of anything. Just look at the jobs saved. Slagging the alignment should be pippyshit compared to rolling back the seas, don’t you think?
Sounds like “String Theory”. Everything is connected.
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.
