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| SuperNatendo |
 Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:57 am Post subject: Spotless Sun |
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Forum Masters Degree
Joined: 10 Dec 2007
Posts: 518
Location: Nashville, TN USA
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Scarcity of sunspots the last two years is apparently causing some concern among some astronomers. It appears that, for whatever reason, less sunspots usually mean cooler earth temperatures.
Right now, it appears that the earth has cooled to an average of about 0.7 degrees Celsius from January 2007 to January 2008.
The last two years, if you keep up to date on sunspots, have been abnormally low, even though this is usually the point of lowest activity, these lower points of activity are not usually this prolonged.
Back in the 17th century, the sun went without spots for a good 50 years, and was accompanied by a micro ice-age.
Just thought it was interesting since it has been a trend I have been noticing, I didn't realize it could actually affect our temperature here, I was always under the assumption the surface of the sun is hotter without sunspots, but their might be more to it than that.
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| Cold Fusion |
| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
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Location: In the circuitous haze of my mind
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Yes! Someone else knows about the little ice age!
Interesting.....maybe we will have to do something like what was done in Sunshine. 
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| Cold Fusion |
| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
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Location: In the circuitous haze of my mind
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| Quote: |
| is a region on the Sun's surface (photosphere) that is marked by a lower temperature than its surroundings and has intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convection, forming areas of reduced surface temperature. |
-Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunspot
How can a magnetic field cause convection? Where does the displaced heat go?
_________________
Forget all that you know, achievements can only be accomplished by starting from nothing and selectively applying facts that are purely objective and absolutely necessary.
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence"
-Einstein
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/download.php
Use your computing strength for science! |
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| Dishmaster |
| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:53 pm Post subject: Re: Spotless Sun |
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Forum Senior
Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 313
Location: Heidelberg, Germany
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| SuperNatendo wrote: |
Just thought it was interesting since it has been a trend I have been noticing, I didn't realize it could actually affect our temperature here, I was always under the assumption the surface of the sun is hotter without sunspots, but their might be more to it than that. |
It is the activity that can influence the earth's atmosphere. Solar activity is accompanied with sunspots. With every solar outburst, there are lots of charged particles released into the interplanetary space that eventually hit the terrestrial atmosphere. Apparently, this has some influence on the overall climate. |
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| Bunbury |
| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 844
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| Quote: |
| Back in the 17th century, the sun went without spots for a good 50 years, and was accompanied by a micro ice-age. |
For completeness you should add "in the Northern Hemisphere".
The current evidence strongly suggests the Little Ice Age was not a worldwide phenomenon. |
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| stephenthemay |
| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Freshman
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 6
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| Cold Fusion wrote: |
| How can a magnetic field cause convection? Where does the displaced heat go? |
Convection is caused by the release of heat from the center of the sun. The magnetic fields of the sun can, due to the differential rotation of the sun's surface, 'twist' and become much more intense at the points where they exit and reenter the surface (similar to the poles of a magnet). At the two points on the photosphere where one of these altered magnetic fields is most intense, convection currents are disrupted. Rising heat cannot penetrate the magnetic field and some hot gas is pulled away by convection, resulting in cooler, darker regions at the two 'poles' of the magnetic field.
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| Cold Fusion |
| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
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And I am assuming the magnetic field only effects the matter/plasma because it is highly charged? Maybe more so when it is hot?
BTW, welcome to the forum.
_________________
Forget all that you know, achievements can only be accomplished by starting from nothing and selectively applying facts that are purely objective and absolutely necessary.
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."
"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence"
-Einstein
http://boinc.berkeley.edu/download.php
Use your computing strength for science! |
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| SolomonGrundy |
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Junior
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 244
Location: USA
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Two worms where stearing at the sun and after a whyle the first worm says:
Hey dude the ozone lair is blocking my view since there are no more holes in it and i cannot see no more spots on the sun , and i am geting colder by the minute ....
The second worm slaps the first one and says
Dude get over it , and go get me the sun oil there are over 60 degree celsius up in here and i do not wanna catch a cold.
The first worm:
Hey i can now see spots again ...what gives?
Hey natendo or whatever name you have you are funny.
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Solomon Grundy
In 1944, this creature rose from the swamp, with tremendous strength and some dormant memories that for example allowed him to speak English, but not knowing what he was, and not remembering Cyrus Gold or his fate. Wandering throughout the swamp, he encountered two escaped criminals, killed them, and took their clothes. When they asked him his name, he simply muttered that he had been born on Monday. Reminded of an old nursery rhyme about a man born on Monday, the thugs named the creature "Solomon Grundy". |
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| VMStudent |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:15 am Post subject: |
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Forum Freshman
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Posts: 65
Location: Portugal
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| We’re on the solar cycle transition, this lower solar activity is absolutely normal! |
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| Ophiolite |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:21 am Post subject: |
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Forum Radioactive Isotope
Joined: 25 Jul 2005
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| VMStudent wrote: |
| We’re on the solar cycle transition, this lower solar activity is absolutely normal! |
This depends upon how you define normal. The solar cycle has varied greatly in both duration and intensity over short and long periods. If you consider the Maunder Minimum (the source of SuperNatendo's little ice age) to be an example of normal variation, then certainly the current activity is normal. Otherwise we are seeing an unusual extension of low level activity and a significant delay in the full onset of the current cycle. (As far as I am aware only a single sunspot of the current cycle has been seen and that appeared at the beginning of this year.) Is this normal? Perhaps, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it absolutely normal. We may be entering a period of significantly reduced activity: if so we may get a breathing space to take care of our elevated carbon dioxide levels.
| SuperNatendo wrote: |
| It appears that, for whatever reason, fewer sunspots usually mean cooler earth temperatures. |
Although the spots themselves are cooler than the average surface temperature of the sun, their surrounding margins are much hotter. Consequently, on average the surface temeperature of the sun is higher when there are more spots, lower when there are few or none.
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| SolomonGrundy |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:23 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Junior
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 244
Location: USA
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| Ophiolite wrote: |
| VMStudent wrote: |
| We’re on the solar cycle transition, this lower solar activity is absolutely normal! |
This depends upon how you define normal. The solar cycle has varied greatly in both duration and intensity over short and long periods. If you consider the Maunder Minimum (the source of SuperNatendo's little ice age) to be an example of normal variation, then certainly the current activity is normal. Otherwise we are seeing an unusual extension of low level activity and a significant delay in the full onset of the current cycle. (As far as I am aware only a single sunspot of the current cycle has been seen and that appeared at the beginning of this year.) Is this normal? Perhaps, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it absolutely normal. We may be entering a period of significantly reduced activity: if so we may get a breathing space to take care of our elevated carbon dioxide levels.
| SuperNatendo wrote: |
| It appears that, for whatever reason, fewer sunspots usually mean cooler earth temperatures. |
Although the spots themselves are cooler than the average surface temperature of the sun, their surrounding margins are much hotter. Consequently, on average the surface temeperature of the sun is higher when there are more spots, lower when there are few or none. |
Well is normal ... That happens every minute on the sun but what you see as spot from earth there are not spots at all , and those so called spots do not influence that mutch the wether on earth .
Is more like rain on our planet what you call spots on the sun.
We are not enering on reduce activity period.
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Solomon Grundy
In 1944, this creature rose from the swamp, with tremendous strength and some dormant memories that for example allowed him to speak English, but not knowing what he was, and not remembering Cyrus Gold or his fate. Wandering throughout the swamp, he encountered two escaped criminals, killed them, and took their clothes. When they asked him his name, he simply muttered that he had been born on Monday. Reminded of an old nursery rhyme about a man born on Monday, the thugs named the creature "Solomon Grundy". |
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| KALSTER |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Cosmic Wizard
Joined: 08 Sep 2007
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Location: South Africa
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| Is more like rain on our planet what you call spots on the sun. |
What 
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As jy dom is, moet jy kak. |
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| SolomonGrundy |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Junior
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 244
Location: USA
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| KALSTER wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Is more like rain on our planet what you call spots on the sun. |
What:| |
What what?
Do you want a whether forecast for the sun?
Are you planing to take a walk there?
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Solomon Grundy
In 1944, this creature rose from the swamp, with tremendous strength and some dormant memories that for example allowed him to speak English, but not knowing what he was, and not remembering Cyrus Gold or his fate. Wandering throughout the swamp, he encountered two escaped criminals, killed them, and took their clothes. When they asked him his name, he simply muttered that he had been born on Monday. Reminded of an old nursery rhyme about a man born on Monday, the thugs named the creature "Solomon Grundy". |
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| KALSTER |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Cosmic Wizard
Joined: 08 Sep 2007
Posts: 2222
Location: South Africa
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What nonsense are you blurting now again
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"Gullibility kills" - Carl Sagan
As jy dom is, moet jy kak. |
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| SolomonGrundy |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Junior
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 244
Location: USA
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| KALSTER wrote: |
| What nonsense are you blurting now again |
The nonesense that natendo calls spots on the sun.
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Solomon Grundy
In 1944, this creature rose from the swamp, with tremendous strength and some dormant memories that for example allowed him to speak English, but not knowing what he was, and not remembering Cyrus Gold or his fate. Wandering throughout the swamp, he encountered two escaped criminals, killed them, and took their clothes. When they asked him his name, he simply muttered that he had been born on Monday. Reminded of an old nursery rhyme about a man born on Monday, the thugs named the creature "Solomon Grundy". |
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