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Solar Cycle 24 May Have Finally Begun

Posted by kdawson on from the here-comes-the-oh-never-mind dept.

xyz writes "NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center reports that the number of sunspots in October for Solar Cycle 24 outnumbered Solar Cycle 23 for the first time, indicating the start of a new solar cycle. Solar activity was observed to be at a 50-year low, with no sunspots for 200 days this year."

3 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. It is a very important issue to communication by gearloos · · Score: 5, Informative

    The sun works on an 11 year cycle. There is also other smaller cycles that run in this. One is a 28 day cycle. These are very important to long range (and short range) communication. Ham(amateur) radio is very influenced(as well as commercial) by this. I am not going to try and explain the whole thing here but try this link for anone that would like to learn more about the sloar flux index, k index, a index etc.. http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/propagation/ionospheric/radio-propagation-prediction-solar-indices.php

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  2. Re:so how does it affect our weather by swordfishBob · · Score: 5, Informative

    It means significant bursts of solar radiation, but reductions in other extraterrestrial radiation as it gets "blown" away by the solar surges.

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    -- All your bass are below two Hz
  3. Re:All over? Or just in spots? by Software+Geek · · Score: 2, Informative

    The sun rotates every 25-36 days.
    The different rotation rates of different parts is what causes sunspots.
    http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/sun/Solar_interior/Sun_layers/differential_rotation.html

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