NOAA Confirms Start of New Sunspot Cycle (disrupts civ&military comm, elec grids, GPS, cellphn)

AP, NOAA Space Weather Prediction ^ | January 4, 2008 | NOAA

[bd476]

The Latest Mauna Loa Image

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NOAA Confirms Start of New Sunspot Cycle

3 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new solar cycle is under way. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday that the first sunspot of a new 11-year cycle has appeared in the sun's northern hemisphere.

The frequency of sunspots rises and falls during these cycles, and the start of a new cycle indicates they are likely to begin increasing.

Sunspots, areas of intense magnetic activity on the sun, can affect Earth by disrupting electrical grids, airline and military communications, GPS signals and even cell phones, the agency said. During periods of intense sunspot activity, known as solar storms, highly charged radiation from the sun may head toward Earth.

"Our growing dependence on highly sophisticated, space-based technologies means we are far more vulnerable to space weather today than in the past," said NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr.

Last April an international panel of solar experts forecast that Solar Cycle 24 would start in March 2008, plus or minus six months. The panel was split between those predicting a strong or weak cycle.

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Solar X-ray Flux

This plot shows 3-days of 5-minute solar x-ray flux values measured on the SWPC primary and secondary GOES satellites.

One low value may appear prior to eclipse periods.

Today's Space Weather Updated 2008 January 5 01:34 UTC

[bd476]

NOAA / Space Weather Prediction Center

Space Weather Advisories Advisory Bulletins

Official Space Weather Advisory issued by NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Boulder, Colorado, USA

Space Weather Advisory Bulletins are issued when conditions occur that are thought to be of interest to the public.

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SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY BULLETIN #08 - 1
2008 January 04 at 06:05 p.m. MST (2008 January 05 0105 UTC)

**** FIRST SOLAR CYCLE 24 POLARITY SUNSPOT OBSERVED ****

The first sunspot region with Solar Cycle 24 polarity was numbered by the Space Weather Prediction Center on January 4 at 2000 UTC (3:00 P.M. EST). The sunspot region was officially numbered as 10981. This does not mean the new cycle has officially started; however, this is a clear sign Solar Cycle 24 is within sight. Sunspots are tracked because they indicate the level of space weather activity we expect. Solar activity is forecast to reach a peak in 2011 or 2012.

Space Weather Bulletins

[bd476]

A different kind of "Weather Alert" Ping.

[Brad from Tennessee]

TOP RUSSIAN SCIENTIST: GLOBAL COOLING COMING

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/01/top_russian_scientistglobal_co.html

[xcamel]

Latest SOHO:

[Wonder Warthog]

It’s not just the Russians:

http://www.spaceandscience.net/id16.html

[bd476]

LOL! That's going to make it a puzzle when cleaning out your closet. Are you're supposed to toss out wool clothes because of global warming or toss out cotton clothes due to global cooling? Thanks for the link. :-)

[steveo]

As soon as we made our way to Palos Verdes we found the Leader of the Sundancers down in the barrancas. We had not seen activity like this since the upswing of cycle 20! It was like old times . . . if you were an Old Timer! We heard the thunder of Big DX, the bass bongo that had gotten them in trouble with the tower at LAX in 1978 . . . when Big DX was confused with sonic booms! The Leader made his way over to us, did a pirouette and stopped for a few seconds. "We've got it", he shouted above the rattle of the tenor bongos and the clicking of heels of the Sundancers. "The sunspots are returning.

We made our way back home, and we knew that DX was safe. The Palos Verdes Sundancers were hard at work. The sunspots were returning. We had completely forgotten about the Hand Wringer who had started all this in the first place. The Great Days of DXing were just around the corner and Heard Island was coming up within a month! Don't listen to Hand Wringers with too much spare time. They think too much. Listen to the Hero of Mafeking! Be prepared! The signs are everywhere. There will be DX for all, although for some more than others. DX IS!

Indeed have faith, good DX will come to the deserving. DX IS...

[BenLurkin]

“Did Sunspots Sink the Titanic?”

http://www.research.noaa.gov/spotlite/archive/spot_sunclimate.html

[Cobra64]

Bush’s fault.

[Viking2002]

[SARCASM THROTTLE RED-LINED]

AAUUGGHHHH! GLOBAL WARMING! CARBON CREDITS!!! GENOCIDE IN RWANDA!!!! DROWNING POLAR BEARS!!!! SUNSPOTS!!!! PACK YOUR BAGS AND GATHER YOUR FAGS, LET'S PROTEST ON PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE WITH RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE!!!!!! IT'S BUSH'S FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!! WE'RE DOOMED!!!

[/SARCASM THROTTLE AT STATION KEEPING]

[humblegunner]

What is a cellphn?

I can't find it in any dictionary.

[USN40VET]

DX for the deserving. Sounds good to me. Time to finish my tower at the new QTH and install the C31XR’s (to be stacked) that have been in boxes all summer.

Force 12 rules!

[fremont_steve]

Sounds like something related to W6AM? (Dad lives in Rancho Palos Verdes - and I actually saw Mr. Wallace at a couple of SCDXC meetings in the early 70s.).

[bd476]

humblegunner wrote: "What is a cellphn? I can't find it in any dictionary."

That's an abbreviation. ;-)

[fremont_steve]

Sounds like something related to W6AM? (Dad lives in Rancho Palos Verdes - and I actually saw Mr. Wallace at a couple of SCDXC meetings in the early 70s.).

[eyedigress]

We would blame all radio and TV reception problems on Sunspots in the 90's. Of course we were responsible for the real time functionality of it. :^)

Fascinating stuff BTW

[rednesss]

Alert Al Gore, this must be the work of Manbearpig. Just don’t try to imply that the ginormous ball of nuclear fire in the sky has anything to do with global warming.

[bd476]

Polar bears are drowing? Where?? ;-)

God kveld Viking2002! Det er dårlig vær i dag.

Víkingar ferðuðust mikið.

Norwegian: Good evening Viking 2002! It is bad weather today.

Icelandic: The Vikings traveled a lot.

[bd476]

eyedigress wrote: "We would blame all radio and TV reception problems on Sunspots in the 90's. Of course we were responsible for the real time functionality of it. :^)

Fascinating stuff BTW."

Thanks Eyedigress. It is pretty interesting, especially as it affects airline and military communications, cellphones, etc.

[bd476]

Fascinating! Thanks for the link, BenLurkin.