why are many nay sayers to global warming now trying to blame the sun?

Question

Doesnt the Earth's magnetasphere protect us from increased solar radiation? Otherwise wouldnt increased solar activity fry us instead of causing global warming?

Answer 1

The magnetosphere protects us from ionizing radiation (charged particles moving at near the speed of light). This has nothing to do with global warming. The recent discovery that the earth's magnetic field is weakening is a concern, but it has no bearing on global warming whatsoever.

The naysayers who claim that solar output fluctations are causing global warming are misinformed idiots. They obviously aren't reading any the many sources of data that do monitior the sun output (NASA and the ESA have several satellites in LEO and solar orbit that do this). The sun's output hasn't fluctuated to any appreciable degree in 150 years - in fact, it has only waned (less output) a couple of times (in the 1940's and 1970's). Obviously, anyone constructing a model of the energy balance in the atmosphere is going to monitor the rate of solar influx. That's been done for decades now, and the record clearly shows that the fluctuations in solar output cannot account for the rise in global average surface temperature.

There is a reason why the naysayers are not people with degrees in climatology or planetary science - they are political hacks and science dilletants with zero fundamental understanding of the science involved. To deny global warming is to basically deny that the sun rises in the east each morning. It is a fact, case closed. The evidence is totally overwhelming at this point. There are THOUSANDS of peer-reviewed journal papers in dozens of journals that have documented the case for global warming.

Answer 2

The reason for questioning the issue of solar output is that the ice caps on Mars are also melting. NASA has pointed to increased Solar activity as an explanation. Even the most minute of Solar fluctuations can have a tremendous effect on the Planets. CO2 is not a pollutant, it is a relatively harmless gas. The concentrations of it in the atmosphere have been increasing. The removal of CO2 from the atmosphere is largely done by coral reefs and forests. Most of the worlds rain forests are in danger due to the clearing of land to raise livestock and farming. Runoff from these poorly run farms is killing off the coral reefs. Although the input of CO2 has increased, so too has the absorption of CO2 decreased. So now is a real question, who is to blame, industrial countries burning fossil fuel or poor countries clearing rain forests and poisoning the ocean? All of this aside, the caps on Mars are melting too, and I don't think that is our fault. The planet is changing before our eyes, maybe for a whole host of reasons. I think it is Mankind's time to determine how our Planet evolves, and understanding the big picture on Climate Change is very important. Good Luck!

Answer 3

It is a perfectly plausible idea that variations in the output of the Sun could be causing global warming. It is also plausible that increased CO2 in the air could be causing global warming. Both ides need more proof though.

Earth's magnetosphere deflects charged particles in the solar wind, but it has no effect on the light and heat from the Sun.

Answer 4

It's not the sun. Not because of the magnetosphere, but because the nemerical change in solar radiation is too small to explain global warming.

Solar radiation is measured carefully all around the world by many independent scientists. The data is solid.

Solar variation amounts to 0.12 watts per meter squared. Man caused heating is 1.6 watts per meter squared. More than ten times as much. I'll cite one source, but there are many.

http://www.ipcc.ch/spm2feb07.pdf

Page 4.

Do people actually think climatologists would not consider solar radiation? Or that it isn't routinely measured?

There is some uncertainty in the data, of course. But nowhere near enough to change the result.

Answer 5

The sun runs on an 11 year cycle. Every 11 yrs it produces it highest level of solar storms (remember Toronto?). Well I think that was about 10 yrs agos . Maybe you may have heard disscussions about this. Get your generator ready if you live in any areas not well protected by the Earth's "magnetospher" eg: any where you have even see the northern lights

Answer 6

The sun can most definitely affect the weather here on earth. The sun goes through cycles and the earth goes through cycles.
When certain of these cycles happen at the same time then we have certain events happen. Ice Ages, Global warming and so forth. Man's pollution can speed up or affect the earth cycles but mans' actions cannot affect the sun's cycles.
This is just plain common sense, anyone who tries to say differently is just plain dumb.

Answer 7

yes, but global warming is caused by pollution that does not allow solar radiation to excape back out into space, thus heating the earth=global warming.

Answer 8

The earth's magnetosphere has no ability to protect us from electromagnetic rays from the sun. These rays are what warm the earth. You are confusing solar charged particle flux from which we are shielded by the magnetosphere.

Answer 9

We are making the point that there are natural causes affecting the climate. This is nothing new people. The earths climate has changed countless times in the billions of years this planet has existed. Only manking is foolish enough to think he can influence this planet.

Answer 10

I have Sean a temperature of 125 deg F. in California. Is that hot enough ,but it is normal weather.