Re: The Deep Solar Minimum continues

In article <1kOBl.15966$D32.14025@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Billy Burpelson <billy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Billy Burpelson wrote:

What more could they possibly add?
That we may be experiencing the beginning of another
"Maunder Minimum"?
Possibly. All indicators are down not just the sunspots.
Time will tell.

The drop in solar wind is kind of scary.

Hopefully, this will just last another couple of years at most
otherwise we will be spending the rest of our lives going
through another "Maunder Minimum".

dave wrote:

If the solar winds get much weaker we won't be around to worry
about some stupid glaciers.

From Wikipedia:

"Earth itself is largely *protected* [emphasis added] from the
solar wind by its magnetic field, which deflects most of the
charged particles..."

If the solar wind is something we need to be protected from, why
would a -weaker- solar wind put us in danger, as you seem to be
implying? (If the solar wind got -stronger-, more than our
magnetosphere could cope with, yes, then there would be danger).

Please 'splain.

dave wrote:

"Although a weakening of the solar wind may not sound very important,
the effects of this reduction will have serious implications,
diminishing the natural defences of the heliopause (our Solar
System¹s invisible barrier) which protects us from high energy cosmic
rays blasting through intergalactic space?"

quoted from:
http://www.universetoday.com/2008/09/25/solar-systems-protective-shield-is-w
eakening-solar-wind-velocity-at-record-low/

Thanks for the quote...but I believe the original author is being a
little bit of an alarmist.

Yes, the heliosphere (created by the solar wind) does indeed somewhat
moderate the cosmic rays reaching the earth. However:

1) Most of the cosmic moderation is done by the earth's magnetosphere,
not the heliosphere.

2) The intensity of the solar wind normally varies significantly;
i.e., we can't always count on it in any event.

3) Of the 2.3 milliSieverts of background radiation received on earth
annually, only 0.3 mSv is from "cosmic" sources, and of that 0.3 mSv,
only a small, variable amount is taken care of by the heliosphere (with
the magnetosphere doing the bulk of the work).

So again, I think the original author is being a bit of an alarmist
because the solar wind/heliosphere does not give us -that- much
protection. Now if you want to worry, worry about the strength of our
magnetosphere going low. :-)

There could be other effects. More cosmic dust can enter the solar
system changing the EM conductivity of the space around earth.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California
.

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