Posted on 06/05/2009 12:55:01 AM PDT by neverdem
Report indicates solar cycle has been impacting Earth since the Industrial Revolution
Some researchers believe that the solar cycle influences global climate changes. They attribute recent warming trends to cyclic variation. Skeptics, though, argue that there's little hard evidence of a solar hand in recent climate changes.
Now, a new research report from a surprising source may help to lay this skepticism to rest. A study from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland looking at climate data over the past century has concluded that solar variation has made a significant impact on the Earth's climate. The report concludes that evidence for climate changes based on solar radiation can be traced back as far as the Industrial Revolution.
Past research has shown that the sun goes through eleven year cycles. At the cycle's peak, solar activity occurring near sunspots is particularly intense, basking the Earth in solar heat. According to Robert Cahalan, a climatologist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, "Right now, we are in between major ice ages, in a period that has been called the Holocene."
Thomas Woods, solar scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder concludes, "The fluctuations in the solar cycle impacts Earth's global temperature by about 0.1 degree Celsius, slightly hotter during solar maximum and cooler during solar minimum. The sun is currently at its minimum, and the next solar maximum is expected in 2012."
According to the study, during periods of solar quiet, 1,361 watts per square meter of solar energy reaches Earth's outermost atmosphere. Periods of more intense activity brought 1.3 watts per square meter (0.1 percent) more energy.
While the NASA study acknowledged the sun's influence on warming and cooling patterns, it then went badly off the tracks. Ignoring its own evidence, it returned to an argument that man had replaced the sun as the cause current warming patterns. Like many studies, this conclusion was based less on hard data and more on questionable correlations and inaccurate modeling techniques.
The inconvertible fact, here is that even NASA's own study acknowledges that solar variation has caused climate change in the past. And even the study's members, mostly ardent supports of AGW theory, acknowledge that the sun may play a significant role in future climate changes.
Past studies have shown that sunspot numbers correspond to warming or cooling trends. The twentieth century has featured heightened activity, indicating a warming trend. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Solar activity has shown a major spike in the twentieth century, corresponding to global warming. This cyclic variation was acknowledged by a recent NASA study, which reviewed a great deal of past climate data. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Al Gore is on his way to North Korea to debunk this claim...
Its true.
The “skeptics” are so full of themselves and their effort is going to be to frame this argument as if they are the only ones who “really” know what the data says. Its clear as hell that the current thermal difference is sun caused. Period...it started BEFORE the carbon era and that is a fact easily proved.
I resent Al Gore and all those minions of his who LIE and LIE and LIE. However, thats all they have left now as the facts have found them to be what they are, Liars of a high order.
I saw the same program.
I saw the same program.
Fire James Hansen, and defund NASA and NOAA!
Wow, I'd like to see that one. I've had a bellyfull of man-made global warming programs to the point I can barely watch documentaries anymore without being told about the evils of it all. Can you remember the title of the program?
It was either ‘Little Ice Age: Big Chill’ or ‘A Global Warming?’
“better tax that carbon dioxide anyways just to be safe”
liberal democrat
The chief reason for this grand denial that has gone on for twenty-plus years...are the “scientists”...who graduated from various universities in the 1970s and 1980s...with Earth Science degrees. To get a Earth science degree...you basically admitted that your overall interest in science itself was marginal and you never had great grades to brag about.
So the universities in the US started this simplified science program...which in most cases...involved no classes in solar or planetary sciences. So you breezed your way through four years of college with a basic introduction to forestry, weather, climate, the study of oceans, some light chemistry and biology...and toss in a journalism class or two. Then you went out into the world and discovered that you barely made any money at this Earth science stuff. But then you discovered that there were various grants sitting there, and you found projects of marginal value to get a grant for.
As days, weeks and months went by...you got more grants by finding more evidence of global warming. The guys who moved up in the control of the grants came to realize that companies, the US government, and foundations were hyped up on global warming...so naturally, you tilted the grants toward the warmer-wannabes. This got them nice cars, real houses, and imaginary leadership positions within foundations of zero value.
If you note off NPR...the various episodes where they interviewed global warming wannabes....and the question of solar cycles came up...immediate denial came up....for two reasons. First, you admit the truth, then the Earth sciences crowd loses the magic pass to the grant money, and the solar crowd gains total control. The second reason...lets go ahead and admit it....our Earth science crowd has no background in solar cycles to start with and couldn’t even describe how the cycle works.
So as you take the Earth science crowd....you will notice that they are mostly naive on politics and globalization but a bunch of the supporters of Earth science...come from the environmental groups and anti-globalization crowd. They manipulate and utilize the Earth science folks and the foundations. It’s like a pimp having a couple of good prostitutes...and making good money off each.
My suggestion...the next time you get into a discussion with a global warmer...ask them if they ever took a single class in solar science...I’m guessing answer in every single case will be no. Don’t give them any respect after that.
Gore went from a net worth of $ 2 million to $ 100 million spreading his tales of apocalyptic doom. PT Barnum would have been proud.
The Five Big Health-Care Dilemmas
Supreme Court Battle: Graham Turns Up Heat IMHO, she gets borked.
NRA Appeals Seventh Circuit Ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court Scotusblog.com could't get a good pdf link. I tried a few times.
Some noteworthy articles about politics, foreign or military affairs, IMHO, FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.
Do you think you could dig up the program and episode? Or at least the program and air date?
>>ask them if they ever took a single class in solar science
Heck, ask them if they had calculus-based undergraduate physics, the same courses required (typically in the sophomore year) for an engineering degree.
If the answer is no, then “no respect”, as before.
Global Warming is an absolute hoax. That does not release us fom our obligations to be good stewards and conservators.
I’d like to know where it’s so warm. The NYC area has had no spring to speak of , cool still in the mornings and nothing but rain . We have April weather in June .
I guess now that Bush is out of power there is no need to continue demonizing Big Oil, and by reference, the former president's ties to that industry.
Rush Limbaugh has been saying essentially the same thing about solar activity for years. The environmental wackos are really no more than another anti-capitalist arm of the DemonRat party. American capitalism is in it's death throws so there is no need for them to continue the man made global warming hysteria.
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