Where are the sunspots?
Much has been written recently about the fact that sunspots are at their lowest count in over 100 years. How important are sunspots to the issue of climate change? Does an absence of sunspots signal a cooling period? Different experts have differing opinions.
Sunspots are dark patches on the surface of the sun. Although both Galileo and Thomas Herriot observed sunspots through telescopes in 1610, almost 400 years ago, sunspots remain somewhat of a mystery.
While not fully understood, some correlations between sunspots and Earth’s temperature have been noted. Between 1645 and 1715, during a period called the Maunder Minimum, there were very few sunspots. The Maunder Minimum occurred during the “Little Ice Age,” when Europe and North America suffered extremely cold winters and cool or nonexistent summers.
It should be noted that there is no consensus among scientists on the start and end dates of the Little Ice Age or the cause. There are, however, interesting theories, like the decrease in sunspots and the increase in volcanic activity.
Today, solar scientists and climatologists note that the sun is again in a quiet period. Take a look at NASA’s current picture of the sun; it is totally devoid of spots.
Some experts theorize that the lack of sunspots will lead to a cooling period that will slow or offset the effects of global warming caused by the increase of greenhouse gases (GHGs).
Other scientists see the lack of sunspots as signaling not just a cooling that offsets the GHG-caused warming but actual evidence that global warming has stopped and global cooling is in our future.
Yet another group of experts maintain that any correlation between sunspot activity and Earth’s temperatures ended in the 1970’s which this group sees as the beginning of the period of modern global warming caused by GHGs. ended in the 1970’s
No matter who is correct, as David Hathaway, NASA’s sunspot expert quoted in Red Orbit notes, ”. . . the sun is behaving in an interesting way and I believe we’re about to learn something.”
Further reading:
http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1747730/sunspots_on_the_decline/
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/120546.html
http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14443034
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/sunspots/
http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/SunspotCycle.shtml
http://www.skepticalscience.com/solar-activity-sunspots-global-warming.htm
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/09/10/svensmark-global-warming-stopped-and-a-cooling-is-beginning-enjoy-global-warming-while-it-lasts/
See my other writings at Examiner.com - http://www.examiner.com/x-17018-Environmental-Headlines-Examiner
Images & Photos:
NASA - Sunspots - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=37575
NASA Sunspot Movie - http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/gallery/Movies/sunspots.html
Copyright 2009 — K.J.Collins
