The suns activity is at its lowest for 100 years. The conditions are eerily similar to those before the Maunder Minimum, a time in 1645 when a mini ice age hit, Freezing Londons River Thames.
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Researchers believe the solar lull could cause major changes, and say there is a 20% chance it could lead to major changes in temperatures. Sunspot numbers are well below their values from 2011, and strong solar flares have been infrequent, as this image shows despite Nasa forecasting major solar storms Whatever measure you use, solar peaks are coming down, Richard Harrison of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire told the BBC.
Ive been a solar physicist for 30 years, and Ive never seen anything like this. He says the phenomenon could lead to colder winters similar to those during the Maunder Minimum. There were cold winters, almost a mini ice age.
Lucie Green of UCL believes that things could be different this time due to human activity. We have 400 years of observations, and it is in a very similar to phase as it was in the runup to the Maunder Minimum.
The world we live in today is very different, human activity may counteract this it is difficult to say what the consequences are. Mike Lockwood University of Reading says that the lower temperatures could affect the global jetstream, causing weather systems to collapse.
We estimate within 40 years there a 10-20% probability we will be back in Maunder Minimum territory, he said. Last year Nasa warned something unexpected is happening on the Sun
The GWF
Researchers believe the solar lull could cause major changes, and say there is a 20% chance it could lead to major changes in temperatures. Sunspot numbers are well below their values from 2011, and strong solar flares have been infrequent, as this image shows despite Nasa forecasting major solar storms Whatever measure you use, solar peaks are coming down, Richard Harrison of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire told the BBC.
Ive been a solar physicist for 30 years, and Ive never seen anything like this. He says the phenomenon could lead to colder winters similar to those during the Maunder Minimum. There were cold winters, almost a mini ice age.
Lucie Green of UCL believes that things could be different this time due to human activity. We have 400 years of observations, and it is in a very similar to phase as it was in the runup to the Maunder Minimum.
The world we live in today is very different, human activity may counteract this it is difficult to say what the consequences are. Mike Lockwood University of Reading says that the lower temperatures could affect the global jetstream, causing weather systems to collapse.
We estimate within 40 years there a 10-20% probability we will be back in Maunder Minimum territory, he said. Last year Nasa warned something unexpected is happening on the Sun
The GWF