…may be headed for a grand minimum:
Grand minima can last for decades. The previous one took place between 1645 and 1715, and has been linked to the little ice age in Europe. A new one might also cause localised cold periods, but many climate scientists see a silver lining to such a turn of events: a grand minimum offers ideal conditions for testing the effects of solar variability on Earth’s climate (see “Our star’s subtle influence”).
But don’t sweat it (so to speak). The largest energy source in the solar system has absolutely no influence over the planetary climate. Just ask the AGW folks.
I, for one, would be very happy if this is true. I much prefer cooler weather and fewer CME’s means we shut Chandra down fewer times.
Clearly, this is all George W. Bush’s fault.
Not any more. It’s part of the R/R plan that includes throwing your grandmother over a cliff.
But the reason it’s entering a grand minimum is that the West has been wasting too much of the sun’s hydrogen fusion output, which was clearly unsustainable. What we need is a world body that regulates solar output and ensures equal access to sunlight for all people, regardless of latitude, orbital mechanics, or poverty level.
That’s crazy talk. Some people have clearly exploited their position of solar authority to get more solar output. When will they pay reparations for this long standing solar power discrimination?
So, what you’re saying is that white people need free trips to the Bahamas in the name of “solar justice?”
If the sun goes into a grand minimum, it will be very difficult for the CO2 theory to survive in any meaningful way. Could such a situation be used to introduce structural changes to prevent liberals from conjuring up some new alarmist scenario in the future? Remember Silent Spring, the Population Bomb, the China Syndrome, the ozone hole, nuclear winter, etc?
Let facts stand in the way of the narrative. What planet are you from son?
You guys don’t get it.
If the climate cools (unexpectedly) and the sunspots diminish, you see, the cool climate will have to be on account of the absence of sunspots, which is masking the CO2 crisis which will get us, whammo!, when the sunspots come back.
The CO2 theory is unfalsibiable.
The spin on this: This clearly means the lack of warming is due to a temporary glitch in the Sun’s output and we had better minimize greenhouse gases before the Sun revives.
Minima are a bad time for space exploration too.. less cosmic radiation blocking.
I, for one, would be very happy if this is true. I much prefer cooler weather and fewer CME’s means we shut Chandra down fewer times.
The 1859 Carrington event was during the Dalton Minimum. The Corona gets “discharged” by flares generated in sunspots. When there are fewer sunspots the coronasphere gets more charged, when a rare flare, which still happens during minima punctures and discharges the corona sphere, it can be a very bad day for us on the Earth in our technological civilization.
That will be the next fear mongering, requiring us to relinquish all technology and return to the caves.
If a solar flare on the level of the Carrington event happened today and was aimed at the Earth, the results would be very bad. This is an argument to build more robustness into our essential infrastructure, not to turn away from technology. By some forecasts, such a event today might put much of the world effectively back in the 19th century.
By some forecasts, such a event today might put much of the world effectively back in the 19th century.
More like the 17th century.