Comments on: The sunspot decline continues

By: Rocco

Rocco — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 03:20:33 +0000

In reply to Robert Zimmerman.

I guess, RZ.

Sky & Telescope August 2009
What’s Wrong with Our Sun?
By Robert Zimmerman

By: Jim Kaidy

Jim Kaidy — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 19:27:32 +0000

Further reading can be found: https://landscheidt.wordpress.com/ and http://www.landscheidt.info/

By: Jim Kaidy

Jim Kaidy — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 19:21:52 +0000

Predicted by Landscheidt in the 1980’s when he discovered the past correlation of solar system barycenter entering the solar disk to cooling climate in the past. Maunder and Dalton Minima both appear to have been a result of this phenomena. SC-24 and SC-5 (Dalton Minimum) in particular share similar geometries (planetary mass positions and their effect on location of solar system barycenter).

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 19:02:24 +0000

In reply to Daniel Fischer.

Very interesting. If this doesn’t fall into the category of the uncertainty of science, I don’t know what does.

Nonetheless, I suspect that there is still a lot more we could learn about the Sun and its dynamo that would give us a better chance of untangling and predicting its behavior into the future. For example, Grand Minimums involve a significantly different dynamic than the normal 11-year cycle. The differences should allow a prediction, once we have learned more about them. Right now, however, we have never studied a Grand Minimum up close with good space age equipment. We simply don’t know why they happen or what causes them.

By: Daniel Fischer

Daniel Fischer — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 18:35:16 +0000

Forget all predictions of solar activity more than one cycle in advance: http://arxiv.org/abs/1507.01764 – there is a dominant random component in the build-up of the magnetic field, driven by turbulence, that just cannot be known. (Also see http://www.mps.mpg.de/4036283/PM_2015_07_29_Warum_die_Sonne_schwaechelt for a fine summary in German.)

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 23:49:05 +0000

In reply to Phill O. I wonder if you are aware of the identity of the science writer who wrote that article for S&T. The title of the article, which was the cover article for that particular issue, was "What's wrong with our sun?" Take a guess.

By: Phill O

Phill O — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 23:39:20 +0000

The predictions for the lower sun spot rate was written in Sky and Telescope some time ago, well before this cycle. They also predicted that the next was going to be even lower. I am not sure but I thought is was comparing data from the sun spot index with data from the 107 cm band. Can anyone clarify this?

“If scientists can put aside politics and focus on gathering data, they might find out. Sadly, I am not hopeful, based on the level of corruption I see almost daily in the climate field.” Maybe I am becoming more cynical with age or maybe my eyes have begun to open. I see it everywhere.