Sun Could Cool Down

[Monster]

Slashdot alerts us of a Network World article describing how decreased sun activity could affect Earth:

electromagnetic energy every 11 years or so could go into virtual hibernation after the current cycle of high activity, reducing temperatures on Earth.

As the current sunspot cycle, Cycle 24, begins to ramp up toward maximum, scientists from the National Solar Observatory (NSO) and the Air Force Research Laboratory independently found that the Sun's interior, visible surface, and corona indicate that the next 11-year solar sunspot cycle, Cycle 25, will be greatly reduced or may not happen at all.

 

[Panache]

Interesting! I wonder what will happen with the weather across the world due to this? I know that the article said that the weather doesn't really get affected by solar de/activity, but it must make at least a slight difference.
I have noticed around here, that it has actually been kind of cool temperature-wise compared to previous summers. I wonder if this decreased solar activity has anything at all to do with it?

 

[Brandon]

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[Monster]

Interesting! I wonder what will happen with the weather across the world due to this? I know that the article said that the weather doesn't really get affected by solar de/activity, but it must make at least a slight difference.

No idea ... if, what they said, we would enter a phase with barely a sunspot, this could perhaps impact the weather.

But, when scientists who observe the sun suddenly find unexpected behavior, that's kind of creepy!

We're very dependent on the sun, if it would flick out, the planets would all freeze into ice balls sooner or later.

I often wondered what would happen if all mankind would die at once -- would they join a common afterlife?

I have noticed around here, that it has actually been kind of cool temperature-wise compared to previous summers. I wonder if this decreased solar activity has anything at all to do with it?

I don't know! But I've noticed several cold summers in our area after about 2000 ...

 

[Aimy]

As for weather and temperatures, and article I read yesterday on Yahoo news said the impact would be minimal.

The temperature change associated with any reduction in sunspot activity would likely be minimal and may not be enough to offset the impact of greenhouse gases on global warming, according to scientists who have published recent papers on the topic.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110614/ts_afp/usspacesun
But I read another article a couple months ago that said we may be in store for a mini ice-age, similar to what was experienced during the 17th and 18th century.

I have noticed around here, that it has actually been kind of cool temperature-wise compared to previous summers. I wonder if this decreased solar activity has anything at all to do with it?

I wanna move where you are. We had a small cool-spell ending just a couple days ago, but our summer so far has been hot.

 

[Panache]

Am is western Mass., so it stays relatively cool for most of the year here- with realll snowy winters!
Speaking of weather and reduced solar activity, this morning my mom and I noticed that a few of the leaves on the tree near our house have already turned red! This is extremely weird, since the leaves have not fully come out on the trees until mid to late May, just barely a month ago. Wonder how this is happening so soon?