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How might Earth be affected by the activity of sunspots on the surface of the sun?
Wiki User
∙ 8y ago
We're not sure why, but when there are very few sunspots during the 11-year "sunspot cycle", or when that cycle slows down, we experience colder than usual weather here on Earth.
We've only been tracking sunspots for about 400 years; before then, nobody knew to look for them, or were able to. The sunspot cycle which began last year is Cycle 24. There have been two extended periods of few or no sunspots; one was the Maunder Minimum, from 1645 to 1715, and the Dalton Minimum, from 1790 to 1830. The Maunder Minimum coincides with a period known as the "Little Ice Age", and during the Dalton Minimum the recorded temperatures were perhaps 2-3 degrees below normal.
Periods of increased sunspot activities appear to be associated with slightly higher than normal temperatures.
Furman Metz
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Climate change on earth is thought to be affected by what solar phenomena?
Sunspots
What are the dark spots on the surface of the Sun that represent areas of cooler temperatures called?
Sunspots are dark areas on the sun's surface that are cooler than the surrounding area.
Does the earth have sunspots?
No, the earth does not have sun spots. Sun spots are darkened areas on the sun's surface. The best theory is that these are the result of temporary intense magnetic activity inhibiting solar convection. Earth has mantle convection, so one might think of the continents as being "earth spots" drifting on currents of magma. These combine on break apart over half billion year periods of time known as the "Wilson Cycle."
A change in Earth's total isolation would be caused by?
sunspots
A change in earth total insolation would be caused by?
Sunspots
Climate change on earth is thought to be affected by what solar phenomena?
Sunspots
Could the number of sunspots affect the amount of volcanic activity on earth?
Highly unlikely.
What do scientists think Causes sunspots?
Astronomers have known for many years that sunspots are "storms" on the sun's surface, and also that solar prominences seen flaring from the sun during an eclipse probably come from sunspots. what they do not know - yet - is why the sunspots occur in farily regular cycles of many, gradually diminishing to few, and then rising again to many. Times of high sunspot activity are usually also times of high Northern Lights activity and radio interference on earth.
Do sunspots warm up the earth?
Although solar activity is associated with sunspots, there is no associated increase in solar output. Historically sunspot activity waxed and waned on an 11 year cycle, which maps to no identifiable earthly weather pattern of matching period.
Why do sunspots appeared black when observed from earth?
The relative temperature of sunspots is lower than the surrounding temperature of the sun's surface. Since we adjust our camera's to the high temperature of the sun the relatively cooler sunspots appear black to us.
How is climate affected by solar energy?
The amount of energy the sun produces increases slightly when there are more sunspots, so the Earth will be warmer
What is a force or material that causes a change in Earth's surface?
Earthquakes or volcanic activity can change the surface of the Earth.
What a sunspot is?
A sunspot is an area on the Sun's surface (the photosphere) that is affected by intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convection, thus reducing the surface temperature in that region. Even though sunspots are still very bright and hot they appear darker because they are cooler than the surrounding area. The normal temperature of the photosphere is about 5,800 kelvin, whereas the temperature of a sunspot is roughly 4,000 - 4,500 kelvin, which leaves them clearly visible (through filters) as dark spots. The average sunspot is about the size of the Earth! However, sunspots come in a variety of sizes ranging from hundreds to tens of thousands of miles across (many times larger than Earth). Scientists measure the total size (area) of all of the sunspots seen on the sun every day to get a measure of how active the sun is. Sunspots are not permanent. They appear and disappear on the surface of the sun in regular cycles that average about 11 years.See the link below for more information
What drives volcanic activity on Earth's surface?
Convection
What do some scientists say about the relationship between sunspots and the Earth's temperature?
According to current theory, sunspots occur in pairs as magnetic disturbances in the convective plasma near the Sun's surface. Magnetic field lines emerge from one sunspot and re-enter at the other spot. Also, there are more sunspots during periods of increased magnetic activity. At that time more highly charged particles are emitted from the solar surface, and the Sun emits more UV and visible radiation. Direct measurements are uncertain.
How do sunspots are formed?
in the earth
What are the dark spots on the surface of the Sun that represent areas of cooler temperatures called?
Sunspots are dark areas on the sun's surface that are cooler than the surrounding area.
