re: #51 goddamnedfrank

Interesting. Here is an extract from the same article which you omitted, and which seems to say that solar effects on climate ARE observed and are not accounted for by sunspots alone, but they then point to several other solar factors which may well turn out to be significant.

“There are numerous studies that find a correlation [between solar variation and Earth climate],” said Sami Solanki of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Lindau, Germany.

“These authors have looked at the simplest mechanism, and they find that this mechanism does not produce the same level of change that has been observed,” he continued.

“This could be suggesting that there are other mechanisms acting for the way that the sun influences climate.”

Solar ultraviolet (UV) rays are one possibility, though that theory creates its own challenges.

“UV is only a small fraction of total solar output, so you’d need a strong amplification mechanism in the Earth’s atmosphere,” study co-author Spruit said.

Magnetized plasma flares known as solar wind could also impact Earth’s climate. Solar wind influences galactic rays and may in turn affect atmospheric phenomena on Earth, such as cloud cover.

Such complex interactions are poorly understood but could be crucial to unlocking Earth’s climatic puzzle.

Comments?