Farewell Sunspots?
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/03sep_sunspots.htm?list1302321
Because I know that is has happened before – the Maunder Minimum was a period between 1645 to 1715 where sunspots were very rare compared to today – I am quite concerned that the decline in the magnetic field strength of sunspots will continue.
“According to our measurements, sunspots seem to form only if the magnetic field is stronger than about 1500 gauss,” says Livingston. “If the current trend continues, we’ll hit that threshold in the near future, and solar magnetic fields would become too weak to form sunspots.”
What could it mean for us? We could be entering a phase of global cooling. According to Wikipedia:
The Maunder Minimum coincided with the middle — and coldest part — of the Little Ice Age, during which Europe and North America, and perhaps much of the rest of the world, were subjected to bitterly cold winters. Whether there is a causal connection between low sunspot activity and cold winters is the subject of ongoing debate…
Related posts:
I don't know if you're already following this but over at 2012forum.com there is a long and ongoing thread about sunspots or rather the lack of them in the index under; "2012 Theories & Information >>Potential Threats>>Our Sun". Too long to digest it all, 18pages, but I'd suggest reading the firstfew pages then jumping to the latest. Very interesting with lots of links, some to AGW de-bunking sites. As one site points out and this something I've thought my self, just follow the money trail. Some punters are talking of an industry, i.e. Carbon Trading, with a turn over from 3 billion $,s to 300 billion! And who pays? It's just another tax.
Interestingly Russian scientists have said some years back that we should be preparing for global cooling!
You know this stuff is interesting…. the whole world should quit being oblivious and blind…. we are disgusting creatures that should be wiped out….. a small fraction only cares about the earth and whats happenening to it!!!! what do you think