NASA - Is a New Solar Cycle Beginning?

[Snowy Owl]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td align="left" width="571"> Is a New Solar Cycle Beginning?
</td> <td align="right" width="124"> 12.14.2007

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Dec. 14, 2007: The solar physics community is abuzz this week. No, there haven't been any great eruptions or solar storms. The source of the excitement is a modest knot of magnetism that popped over the sun's eastern limb on Dec. 11th, pictured below in a pair of images from the orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It may not look like much, but "this patch of magnetism could be a sign of the next solar cycle," says solar physicist David Hathaway of the Marshall Space Flight Center.[/FONT]

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Above: From SOHO, a UV-wavelength image of the sun and a map showing positive (white) and negative (black) magnetic polarities. The new high-latitude active region is magnetically reversed, marking it as a harbinger of a new solar cycle.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]For more than a year, the sun has been experiencing a lull in activity, marking the end of Solar Cycle 23, which peaked with many furious storms in 2000--2003. "Solar minimum is upon us," he says. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The big question now is, when will the next solar cycle begin? [/FONT]
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table></td> </tr> </tbody></table>[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It could be starting now.[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"New solar cycles always begin with a high-latitude, reversed polarity sunspot," explains Hathaway. [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Reversed polarity " means a sunspot with opposite magnetic polarity compared to sunspots from the previous solar cycle. [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"High-latitude" refers to the sun's grid of latitude and longitude. Old cycle spots congregate near the sun's equator. New cycle spots appear higher, around 25 or 30 degrees latitude.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The region that appeared on Dec. 11th fits both these criteria. It is high latitude (24 degrees N) and magnetically reversed. Just one problem: There is no sunspot. So far the region is just a bright knot of magnetic fields. If, however, these fields coalesce into a dark sunspot, scientists are ready to announce that Solar Cycle 24 has officially begun.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Below: Solar Cycle 23 is coming to an end. What's next? Image credit: NOAA/Space Weather Prediction Center.[/FONT]

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Many forecasters believe Solar Cycle 24 will be big and intense. Peaking in 2011 or 2012, the cycle to come could have significant impacts on telecommunications, air traffic, power grids and GPS systems. (And don't forget the Northern Lights!) In this age of satellites and cell phones, the next solar cycle could make itself felt as never before.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The furious storms won't start right away, however. Solar cycles usually take a few years to build to a frenzy and Cycle 24 will be no exception. "We still have some quiet times ahead," says Hathaway. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Meanwhile, all eyes are on a promising little active region. Will it become the first sunspot of a new solar cycle? Stay tuned for updates from Science@NASA.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2007/14dec_excitement.htm
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[tropical]

Re: NASA - Is a New Solar Cycle Beginning?

Jan. 08 - the min. of the sinusoide of solar activity,
but the ice are still melting...

Than the sun induced mutations of viruses are low now,
but the mutations induced from global warming are stil going on.

Maybe to upload some linked study between that's relations?

 

[Niko]

Re: NASA - Is a New Solar Cycle Beginning?

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hwOy6L3VDvW3rVBHNad3s6BsR0SwD8TVAGRG0

NOAA Confirms Start of New Sunspot Cycle

8 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) ? A new solar cycle is under way. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday that the first sunspot of a new 11-year cycle has appeared in the sun's northern hemisphere.

The frequency of sunspots rises and falls during these cycles, and the start of a new cycle indicates they are likely to begin increasing.

Sunspots, areas of intense magnetic activity on the sun, can affect Earth by disrupting electrical grids, airline and military communications, GPS signals and even cell phones, the agency said. During periods of intense sunspot activity, known as solar storms, highly charged radiation from the sun may head toward Earth.

"Our growing dependence on highly sophisticated, space-based technologies means we are far more vulnerable to space weather today than in the past," said NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr.

Last April an international panel of solar experts forecast that Solar Cycle 24 would start in March 2008, plus or minus six months. The panel was split between those predicting a strong or weak cycle.

On the Net:

• Space Weather Prediction Center: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov
• Solar Cycle forecast: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2007/s2847.htm