Dim Sun Helped Send Earth into Little Ice Age, Study Suggests

[Ichingcarpenter]

I thought this was about George Bush until I checked it was sun not son.






A dearth of bright spots on the sun might have contributed to a frigid period known as the "little ice age" in the middle of the past millennium, researchers suggest.

From the 1500s to the 1800s, much of Europe and North America were plunged into what came to be called the little ice age. The coolest part of this cold spell coincided with a 75-year period beginning in 1645 when astronomers detected almost no sunspots on the sun, a time now referred to as the Maunder Minimum.

Past studies had mulled over whether the decreased solar activity seen during the Maunder Minimum might have helped cause the little ice age. Although sunspots are cool, dark regions on the sun, their absence suggests there was less solar activity in general. Now scientists suggest there might have been fewer intensely bright spots known as faculae on the sun as well during that time, potentially reducing its brightness enough to cool the Earth.

http://www.livescience.com/14453-sunspots-solar-dimming-ice-age.html

[MissHoneychurch]

1. You talk about THE sun

when I read "Dim Sun" I first wondered, what Chinese food has to do with the Little Ice Age



DOH!!!!!!!!!! *Facepalm*

[BlueJazz]

4. I read Dim Sun as "Dim Son" (George bush) Geeez...

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Half awake here, I read it the same way you did.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Discussion forum for said topic

http://www.thunderbolts.info/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=52544&sid=8d109d77deeb46bdb1d2ac87ea9e62ee

Re: "Did Quiet Sun Cause Little Ice Age After All?"

New postby tolenio » Sun Jun 05, 2011 3:38 am
Hi,

I suspect the Maunder minimum was due to the minima in the Hallstat 2,300 year solar cycle at its minima. Just as all our odd weather now is being caused by the Gleissberg 100 year solar minima.

I suspect the solar cycles run in a Fibonacci sequence with the shortest cycles being tied to the 160 minute solar variation and with the longest being 225 million years (duration of one galactic orbit).

Even in the 11 year Schwabe solar cycle you can see the effects of shorter cycles running within it.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Was it the duck's feet dumplings?

[nebenaube]

6. Were not some icelandic volcanos also involved? n/t

[MineralMan]

7. Those pesky steamed pork buns...

Oh...wait...not "dim sum..." Never mind.

[mzteris]

8. Dim Sum

That's what I thought it said, too. . .

[Ready4Change]

9. Wow.

All this technical science talk is making me hungry!