[cripplecreek]

25% does sound like quite a bit over a decade but I wonder how long we’ve been able to measure such things. It may be pretty much the standard.

[doc1019]

Or part of a cycle?

[CARTOUCHE]

Zackly, just like the Ozone hole’s demise/re-strengthening.

[WildcatClan]

I am perhaps too cynical, but I question the ability to measure and subsequent accuracy of any such measurement.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

They have been measuring it for about 50 years. A decade is 20% of their observation time.

There is not enough data to put this in a meaningful context.

[bruinbirdman]

"25% does sound like quite a bit over a decade but I wonder how long we’ve been able to measure such things."

I wonder if this is just typical NASA doom and gloom to justify another probe.

They've known about this for so long they had time to build a special probe, yet this is the first announcement of a possible end of life on earth?

Well, every time they need some bucks for a Mars landing, they discover another life possibility or water.

This one will probably be an excuse for a Moon colony.

yitbos

[dr_lew]

25% does sound like quite a bit over a decade but I wonder how long we’ve been able to measure such things. It may be pretty much the standard.

I believe the intensity of the solar wind has lessened somewhat in recent years, and this would account for the movement of the heliopause.

Also, these structures are extremely tenuous and are affected by the magnetic field of the sun and the local galactic magnetic field. This makes them subject to variability in size and shape.

[Woodman]

I think about 6 years ago The Voyagers started to get out there and get the first real measurements. At one point they thought one of them had left the Galaxy, but then they changed their minds and I think it is supposed to leave late this year or early 2009.

[MediaMole]

I’d place money on “It’s happened before and it will happen again.”