Has the Sun been more active in the last several decades?

Question

Has the Sun been more active in the last several decades? Could that be a reason for Global Warming?

Answer 1

The Sun reached all time peak of activity in 1957, and has become less active since that time. The 1957 peak of solar activity occurred during a period of moderate to cooling global temperatures. The current moderation in solar activity coincides with a period of rapid warming.

So no, the current warmth is not caused by solar activity.

http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/SOLAR/solarda3.html

Answer 2

Short term:
Currently, the sun is just coming out of the bottom of its 11 year sun-spot cycle. The sun spot cycle correlates with solar flares, solar wind, and solar radiation bursts, but I don't think it has a strong correlation with total solar output - which is what I think your question is asking. [Dr Theodor Landscheidt, however, does think the sun spot cycle has an measurable affect on climate. See http://www.john-daly.com/solar/solar.htm]

Also, currently, the temperature of Mars is also getting warmer. If Mars is getting warmer too, a good explanation is that the sun is giving off more energy. There is, however, some evidence that much of Mars' temperature increase can be explained by its surface reflecting less radiation than it did a decade ago. [There was a major dust storm on the planet that left portions of the planet darker than before.]

So, is the sun more active in the last several decades? I don't think there is enough evidence to say definitely NO. While the evidence to say yes exists, it is not substantial enough to say "yes" for certain.

Long term:
The earth is just coming out of the "Little Ice Age" (from about 1300 to 1850). The island of Greenland was given that name by the Vikings because it used to be green! The sun's output does vary. Was it variations in the sun's output that caused the Little Ice Age [LIA] and now the sun is getting a little more active and bringing us out of the LIA or is it due to NATURAL variations in the earth's climate system? Evidence seems to say that BOTH natural earth climate and solar variations are at work. Either way, we have a way to go before Greenland gets back to "normal".

Final answer: Is the sun more active?
Last few years - probably not
Last century - definitely yes
Cause of global warming? - YES -- BUT the modern concern is that we are warming much TOO FAST! Scientists are concerned that natural processes have never warmed the earth at the rate we are now heating up. The concern is that human activity is overwhelming the earth's natural mechanisms to keep the climate in a livable range.

Answer 3

One needs to go back over 8,000 years in order to find a time when the Sun was, on average, as active as in the last 60 years. Based on a statistical study of earlier periods of increased solar activity, the researchers predict that the current level of high solar activity will probably continue only for a few more decades.
Some uncertainty remains about the role of natural variations in causing climate change. Solar variability certainly plays a minor role, but it looks like only a quarter of the recent variations can be attributed to the Sun, at most.

Answer 4

The sun has been no more active than usual. Unfortunately whilst we would all like to blame the sun for global warming, it is only our fault here on earth, and we are to blame.

Answer 5

yeah that is true finnaly someone sees the cause for global warming

but yeah the sun is always more active every 5000nd years this is proved by arceological records hope this helps

Answer 6

Global warming is a scam. the cycle if the weather is about 11 years.

Answer 7

NO!!! out Ozone layer is just fading away due to we are driving cars around and other gasses in the air.

Answer 8

no... we are destroying the atmosphere thats why we have global warming

Answer 9

yes it gets heat from its self

Answer 10

There is no evidence for this.