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Say Goodbye to Sunspots? (Goodbye, global warming; hello, little ice age)
Science Now ^ | 09/14/2010 | Phil Berardelli

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 ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: agw; astronomy; catastrophism; climate; climatechange; globalwarming; iceage; littleiceage; solaractivity; sun; sunspots
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To: Bigoleelephant
The question now is how do we use this information to redistribute global wealth?

Don't worry - folks above your pay grade are working on that...

21 posted on 09/15/2010 9:59:19 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Pyro7480

I love winter!!!!
Does this now mean that we will have to burn more fossil
fuels to offset the cooling of the earth?
By oil stock.... POST-HASTE!!!


22 posted on 09/15/2010 9:59:28 AM PDT by TexasPatriot1 (Legalize the Constitution)
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To: Pyro7480

Don't worry, be happy! Think of all the ice the polar bears will have
to live on. Heck, they may be roaming as far south as St Louis!

23 posted on 09/15/2010 10:01:30 AM PDT by Islander7 (If you want to anger conservatives, lie to them. If you want to anger liberals, tell them the truth.)
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To: SolitaryMan; rdl6989; livius; DollyCali; IrishCatholic; meyer; SteamShovel; Desdemona; ...
 


Beam me to Planet Gore !

24 posted on 09/15/2010 10:01:52 AM PDT by steelyourfaith ("Release the Second Chakra !!!!!!!" ... Al Gore, 10/24/06)
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To: Pyro7480
Still Bush's’ fault!
25 posted on 09/15/2010 10:02:47 AM PDT by Huskrrrr
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To: Pyro7480
This is good news. Whichever way the climate responds will serve humanity in its quest for actual knowledge. If the current advocates of climate alarm are correct, a reduction of sunspots will do nothing to halt unrelenting warming and eventual catastrophe. The alarmists will have been proven likely correct.

If cooling begins, the current crop of world "scientists" will have been exposed as advocates of a religion. With current computer technologies, the identities of these advocates will be known for eternity. But more importantly the identities will be know in current times so scarce government research monies can be funneled away from those who posited opinion as science.

26 posted on 09/15/2010 10:03:17 AM PDT by Sgt_Schultze (A half-truth is a complete lie)
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To: Pyro7480

NOOOOOOOOOO!

I LOVE GLOBAL WARMING!

I didn’t get the boat out all last summer because it was too cold yet I was told it was the hottest summer on record.

I’m going to have to go burn some tires to bring back global warming...


27 posted on 09/15/2010 10:03:45 AM PDT by TSgt (And the war came.)
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To: Pyro7480

Don’t be silly. Al Gore told me that the sun has nothing to do with temperatures here on earth. How could the Nobel Laureate be wrong on so simple a question?


28 posted on 09/15/2010 10:06:16 AM PDT by Pollster1 (Natural born citizen of the USA, with the birth certificate to prove it)
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To: Pyro7480

I call BS. Everyone knows that SUVs warm the earth, not the sun.


29 posted on 09/15/2010 10:07:14 AM PDT by mbynack (Retired USAF SMSgt)
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To: Bigoleelephant; Pyro7480
The question now is how do we use this information to redistribute global wealth?

The question now is how do we use this information to redistribute global warmth?

And what makes anyone think it will be a "little ice age"? I believe we're past due for a major one starting up this century.

30 posted on 09/15/2010 10:07:38 AM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)
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To: musicman

Very good.


31 posted on 09/15/2010 10:07:50 AM PDT by AuH2ORepublican (If a politician won't protect innocent babies, what makes you think that he'll protect your rights?)
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To: musicman
Did TIME use the same penguin cover on BOTH issues?
32 posted on 09/15/2010 10:09:00 AM PDT by newfreep (Palin/DeMint 2012 - Bolton: Secy of State)
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To: AuH2ORepublican

Thanks!!


33 posted on 09/15/2010 10:12:36 AM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: newfreep

I wish I knew the answer to your question!


34 posted on 09/15/2010 10:13:48 AM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: musicman; Pyro7480
Dec. 25, 1989

Photobucket

35 posted on 09/15/2010 10:14:34 AM PDT by twistedwrench
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To: steelyourfaith

Maybe Al-Goracle can buy me a new snow blower with the money he’s scammed.


36 posted on 09/15/2010 10:16:44 AM PDT by rdl6989 (January 20, 2013- The end of an error.)
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To: Pyro7480

does that mean I get to keep my good light bulbs, drive my truck and pay less for electricity?


37 posted on 09/15/2010 10:17:32 AM PDT by Dick Vomer (Our President-A modest man, who has much to be modest about.)
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To: Pyro7480
Global Cooling Pictures, Images and Photos
38 posted on 09/15/2010 10:19:06 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: Pyro7480

It’s almost time for the next glaciation.


39 posted on 09/15/2010 10:21:11 AM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: shove_it
Looks like that hockey stick will come in handy after all.

LOLLOLOLOL!

40 posted on 09/15/2010 10:22:12 AM PDT by Huebolt (It ain't over till there is not ONE DEMOCRAT HOLDING OFFICE ANYWHERE. Not even a dog catcher!)
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