In article ,
Paul Hyett writes:
On Mon, 5 Jan 2009 at 23:11:50, John Horobin
o.uk wrote in uk.sci.weather :

From: "John Hall"

I suppose it's possible. The peak of the Little Ice Age is supposed to
have pretty much coincided with a long period of very low sunspot levels
lasting from 1645 to 1715 known as the Maunder Minimum.

There is certainly speculation that the Sun may be entering another Dalton
minimum - 1790 to 1830 - also a period of lower global temperatires -
certainly looks as if the normal sunspot cycle has been disrupted.

Can't wait to see the GW advocates squirm...

If reduced solar activity should happen to counteract the effects of AGW
over the next few decades, then it's possible that we will have been
very fortunate. But the putative solar downturn won't last for ever, so
should not be used as an excuse for inaction.
--
John Hall
"It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless
information."
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)