NEW SUNSPOT MARKS START OF ANTICIPATED SOLAR CYCLE 24 - SPACE AND SCIENCE RESEARCH CENTER PREDICTS MAJOR GLOBAL COOLING AS A RESULT

There's still a lot of speculation as to what kind of role solar activity plays in our weather, but astronomers are abuzz about the signal of a new solar cycle - Solar Cycle 24.  I received the following alert about this new solar cycle from spaceweather.com today:

"Solar physicists have been waiting for the appearance of a reversed-polarity sunspot to signal the start of the next solar cycle. The wait is over. A magnetically reversed, high-latitude sunspot emerged today.  This marks the beginning of Solar Cycle 24 and the first step toward a new solar maximum.  Intense solar activity won't begin right away.  Solar cycles usually take a few years to build from solar minimum (where we are now) to Solar Max (expected in 2011 or 2012).  It's a slow journey, but we're on our way!"

According to NASA, the new solar cycle is expected to peak in the year 2011 or 2012, and may have noticeable impacts on telecommunications, air traffic, power grids and GPS systems, as well as the Northern Lights.  In fact, in the words of NASA: "In this age of satellites and cell phones, the next solar cycle could make itself felt as never before."  You can click here to access the article from NASA.

And what would a solar cycle investigation be without a link to weather, and specifically to climate change?  The Space and Science Research Center (SSRC) in Orlando, Florida, announced that this new solar cycle is one they have been anticipating, and one that they predict will bring a new climate change.  In the words of the SSRC's Director, John Casey: "We today confirm the recent announcement by NASA that there are historic and important changes taking place on the sun’s surface. This will have only one outcome - a new climate change is coming that will bring an extended period of deep cold to the planet. This is not however a unique event for the planet although it is critically important news to this and the next generations. It is but the normal sequence of alternating climate changes that has been going on for thousands of years. Further according to our research, this series of solar cycles are so predictable that they can be used to roughly forecast the next series of climate changes many decades in advance. I have verified the accuracy of these cycles’ behavior over the last 1,100 years relative to temperatures on Earth, to well over 90%."  Click here to view the entire press release from the SSRC.

An interesting perspective, for sure.  Is it correct?  Come back in 20 years and let's find out!

Have a thought on this item?  Include it in the comments section of this post!

Comments

[Jak]

Nice Site! Thanks!

[Susan]

This does not appear to be spam. Check the following websites:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080104_sunspot.html
and
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/21dec_cycle24.htm

[Charles]

SSRC is NOT NASA. It's an individual with a new company. NASA's report says nothing about the link to the weather, only this individual.

There are many real websites with data linking solar cycles and earth climate. Please disregard the SSRC as spam.

See this post:
http://junkscience.com/blog/2008/01/07/more-on-the-space-and-science-research-center-hoax/