The Sun is Changing States: Time to Reassess Where It May be Heading!

[Sunsettommy]

James A. Marusek
6 July 2009

EXCERPT:

We are at the verge of entering solar cycle 24. It is interesting to watch this solar cycle
unfold. Recently Rachel Howe and Frank Hill of the National Solar Observatory from
their studies of the solar jet stream, which is actually a plasma current called a torsional
oscillation, indicate the sun is about to wake up from a rather long magnetic slumber.
Time will tell. As of the end of June, the cumulative number of spotless days (days
without sunspots) in this transition into solar cycle 24 stands at 651. As this solar
minimum comes to an end, the number of spotless days per month will quickly tapper
off.

http://personals.galaxyinternet.net/tung...States.pdf
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A state change in the sun is mentioned.

[Mike Davis]

There is less knowledge of the sun than of the ocean cycles. Solar scientists have tried to predict solar cycles for years and have not had any luck. I read a while back that 18 months to 24 months are needed to determine when the solar minimum occured and when one cycle became the dominate one. Now all the sites claim that the change has occured and next month they make another claim. We should see them move the goal posts again!

[Sunsettommy]

[quote author=Mike Davis link=topic=95.msg590#msg590 date=1247798596]
There is less knowledge of the sun than of the ocean cycles. Solar scientists have tried to predict solar cycles for years and have not had any luck. I read a while back that 18 months to 24 months are needed to determine when the solar minimum occured and when one cycle became the dominate one. Now all the sites claim that the change has occured and next month they make another claim. We should see them move the goal posts again!
[/quote]

Right now the predicted Minimum is last December,it slides forward to next month if the new sunspots stay below a certain threshold.It appears that the minimum will make it into January 2009.

After that who knows?