The Sun (2)

The Sun (2)

1. Sunspot cycle

   • the average no. of sunspots reaches a mx every 11 or so years & then falls off almost to 0 before the cycle begins afresh
   • at the start if the each cycle, at solar minimum, only a few spots are seen
     • approx 4 years into the cycle, around solar minimum, the no. of spots increases markedly

2. Current Cycle

   • current solar cycle, began in 2008 January, but there was minimal activity until early 2010
     • it is on track to be the Solar Cycle with the lowest recorded sunspot activity since accurate records began in 1750

3. solar storms

   • large solar flares often occur during a solar max
     • coronal clouds associated with CMEs produced by solar flares often caused the solar storms
       • For Eg) the solar storm of 1859 struck the Earth with such intensity that aurorae could be seen as far south as Rome, approx 42deg north of the equator
   • solar storms can produce intense geomagnetic & proton sotrms capable of cuasing sever damage to technology
     • intense solar sotrms may also be hazardous to high-latitude, high-altitude aviation & to human spaceflight
       • stability of modern civilisation?
         • the damage from the most potent solar storms is capable of threatening the stability of moderm human civilisation

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