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Mystery of the Missing Sunspots, Solved?

Posted by samzenpus on from the hide-and-go-seek dept.

PRB_Ohio writes "The sun is in the middle of a century long solar minimum, and sunspots have been puzzlingly scarce for more than two years. Now, for the first time, solar physicists might understand why. The gist is that there is a 'jet stream' like phenomenon about 7,000km below the surface of the sun. The streams migrate slowly from the poles to the equator and when a jet stream reaches the critical latitude of 22 degrees, new-cycle sunspots begin to appear. Scientists at the National Solar Observatory (NSO) in Tucson, Arizona, used a technique called helioseismology to track and analyze the streams."

16 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Puberty by CosmicRabbit · · Score: 5, Funny

    My theory is way simpler. The Sun simply got out of puberty, and obviously acne started to disappear...

  2. Obligatory.. by feepness · · Score: 4, Funny

    So I guess this is what happens when you cross the streams...

  3. What? by arun84h · · Score: 2, Funny

    I figured the Hardy Boys would be long dead by now! Great job, boys!

  4. Ah, solar puberty . . . by StefanJ · · Score: 5, Funny

    So those coronal mass ejections we hear about were the Sun exploring . . . mmmnnnn never mind, I won't go there.

    1. Re:Ah, solar puberty . . . by hezekiah957 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Boy, I wish there was a "-1, Disgusting" (or +1) mod.

    2. Re:Ah, solar puberty . . . by fluffywuffy · · Score: 2, Funny

      So those coronal mass ejections we hear about were the Sun exploring . . .

      uranus ?

  5. I have sunspots... by Penguinshit · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... I call them freckles. If a sunspot moves or grows the dermatologist deals with it.

    --

    I have something in common with Stephen Hawking...

  6. Re:Old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its too early to tell yet, but cycle #24 is over 2 years late...

    We're pregnant, aren't we.

  7. Re:Old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What the hell will Al Gore do?

  8. Re:It's sort of refreshing... by riverat1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I heard on the news today that the Australian Weather Service decided to stop calling it a drought because using the word drought implies it will end at some point and they don't see this ending anytime soon.

  9. Oh, shoot! by reboot246 · · Score: 4, Funny

    And all this time I thought the lack of sunspots was caused by global warming.

    Back to the drawing board. :)

    1. Re:Oh, shoot! by fractoid · · Score: 4, Funny

      There are no pirates on the sun. That's why the surface of the sun is so hot. In retrospect, it's obvious, isn't it?

      --
      Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
    2. Re:Oh, shoot! by thhamm · · Score: 4, Funny

      I thought the lack of sunspots was caused by global warming

      what is this, soviet russia?!

  10. Re:"century-class solar minimum" by HeLLFiRe1151 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The solar cycle is eleven years long isn't it? The solar minimum started in 2001 and will switch in 2012 (probably on December 21). Coincidence, I think not.

    --
    I've got 101 mod points and you can't have them!
  11. Re:Old news by evilviper · · Score: 2, Funny

    So we could be looking at 22+ years of cold cold weather.

    Just enough time to fix global warming...

    BTW, that must be a HUGE groundhog.

    --
    Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant
  12. PS by TapeCutter · · Score: 2, Funny

    Those natuaral variations include solar flux but not susnspots, the reason being is that there is not a scrap of hard evidence that sunspots affect Earth's climate but there is plenty of evidence they affect book sales.

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.