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10 Apr 09 - (Excerpts) Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Willie Soon
tells us that Earth has seen a reduced level of sunspot activity for the
past 18 months, and is currently at the lowest levels seen in almost a
century. He notes 2008 was a cold year for this very reason, and that
2009 may be cold for the same.
In 2008 there were 266 days scattered throughout the year without
sunspots, and in 2007 there were 163 days without sunspots. These are
the #2 and #9 fewest sunspots years seen since 1911.
Dr. Soon's field of specialty is the sun. He explains that sunspots are
planet-sized pockets of magnetism with much greater energy output and
matter expulsion, some of which strikes the Earth's atmosphere as extra
energy from the sun. He says when sunspots are present, the temperature
goes up, when they are not present the temperature goes down. He also
told a reporter at WBZ, CBS
TV 38 (in Boston, MA) that beginning in 1645 and continuing
through 1715, there were no observed sunspots. This is the period known
as the Little Ice Age.
The sun has had no sunspots for 88 out of the 99 days so far this year
(2009). Dr. Soon calls what we are seeing "the first deep solar minimum
of the space age", and "In fact, this is the quietest [fewest sunspots]
Sun we have had in almost a century".
In a
separate video interview,
he explains some possible scenarios which align with global temperature
changes relating to sunspot activity, as the increased or decreased
energy output from the sun affects the Earth's climate.
See the WBZ news article,
'Curious' Why The Sun Has
Been So Dim Lately.
See entire article by Rick C. Hodgin
http://www.tgdaily.com/html_tmp/content-view-42006-181.html
Thanks to Norm Smith in Chilliwack, BC for this link |