How do sunspots affect global warming?

Question

i know that they're linked to cmic rays, but how>

please be as clear as possible as im having real problems with this

lol

thnx

Answer 1

Very little.  Here's a good article about it.

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/arc...

"there is little evidence for any solar variability in irradiance that is not related to the shielding/enhancements of sunspots and faculae - which implies only a modest decrease in solar flux at the Maunder Minimum"

And here's the scientific paper which showed conclusively there is no significant link:

"Recent oppositely directed trends in solar

climate forcings and the global mean surface

air temperature", Lockwood and Frolich (2007), Proc. R. Soc. A

doi:10.1098/rspa.2007.1880

http://www.pubs.royalsoc.ac.uk/media/pro...

News article at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6290228.st...

People advancing this theory have been caught messing with the data:

Pattern of Strange Errors Plagues Solar Activity and Terrestrial Climate Data, Eos,Vol. 85, No. 39, 28 September 2004

"the article published in 1995 by Lassen

and Friis-Christensen, investigating the possible

correlation of solar activity and terrestrial temperatures over the extended period of four centuries, contains unacceptable data procedures"

Answer 2

Sunspots are a proxy for the Suns magnetic field, when there are many sunspots the suns magnetic field is strong, when there are few sunspots the field is weaker. Cosmic ray's are subatomic particles traveling very fast, emanating from the galaxy. When the suns magnetic field is very strong it causes fewer of these particles to collide with earths atmosphere. It is believed by some, that the vapor trails caused by these collision's serve as condensation nuclei and increase the cloudiness of earths atmosphere, which reflects more sunlight.

So, fewer sunspots more clouds, more sunspots less clouds.

.

Answer 3

The way I understand it has some holes, but here goes.  The earth has a magnetosphere.  It is produced by liquid metallic outer core.  The Earth's magnetosphere deflects many cosmic rays.  Cosmic rays theoretically help produce water droplets from water vapor.  The sun also has a magnetosphere but many magnitudes stronger than the earth's.  I believe it is formed from "metallic" hydrogen eddies in the sun's interior but not absolutely sure about that.  In any event, the sun goes through various cycles that increase and decrease its total output.  At times when the sun is producing lots of radiation, it tends to have more sun spots.  The sun spots are like magnetic storms.  Sometimes they can produce flares that interfere with the Earth's magnetosphere.  Perhaps this is why there is a 11 year warming and cooling cycle that seems to go beyond what you would expect from just measuring the solar output.

Answer 4

I suspect that sunspots do affect global warming and there is evidence that they do. The Maunder Minimum ( in sunspot activity ) coincides with the middle and coldest part of the Little Ice Age.

The 11-year solar cycle DOES have an effect, as it's one of three parts of the Milankovic Cycle that affects our planet. This has a far more profound affect on our planet, along with El Nino, than CO2 or CO or methane (CH4)or any other gas has on our climate.

There is much evidence to indicate that global temperatures are predominantly influenced by solar activity. Global warming and cooling cycles over the last 100 or more years can be directly correlated to increases and decreases in solar activity. Warming and cooling cycles on Mars correlate to solar activity as well, solidifying the evidence that solar activity, and not human contributions, are the controlling factor of global temperatures.

Answer 5

Not at all.  But sunspot activity is a good indicator (proxy) for solar irradiance and solar magnetic field strength.  

In the case of galactic cosmic rays, the theory goes that the stronger the Sun's magnetic field, the more cosmic rays it deflects.  Theoretically cosmic rays can seed clouds on Earth, so if more are being blocked, there are fewer clouds forming, and clouds (depending on the type) have a net cooling effect.

Thus the theory goes that more sunspots = stronger solar magnetic field = fewer GCRs hitting Earth = fewer clouds forming = less cooling/more warming.

Unfortunately there are a number of fundamental flaws with this theory, the main one being that there has been no long-term trend in galactic cosmic ray flux on Earth over the past 50 years.  Several recent studies have concluded that GCRs cannot be responsible for any significant fraction of the recent warming.  See the 'Galactic Cosmic Rays' section in the link below for further details.

Answer 6

Something that might undermine sunspots, could be corona projections. Very little if nothing is understood about them.

Sunspots are expressed in order of magnitude and cycles. Nether are truly predictable, and NASA knows it's something to be concerned over.

Answer 7

The sun is more active when sunspots appear on the surface-- usually about an 11 year cycle-- a new active cycle was due to begin about 1 year ago-- however the sun has been unusually quiet with almost no sunspots -- YET-- in this cycle.

Our sun changes in brightness continuously------ in some cases from minute to minute--  could we be living under a long period variable star? -- that is what solar scientists are now trying to discover. We see these types of variable stars everywhere in the universe.

http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q217....

http://www.holoscience.com/news.php?arti...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.ht...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_st...