On 14/06/2011 18:12, prodata wrote:
This may be well known to those who follow solar activity closely, but
this summary of a new paper on recent sunspot activity on The Register
was an interesting read:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/14/ice_age/

The regression line looks too steep to my eye though I dare say that's
an optical illusion and it's been calculated accurately enough. But

From selective data.
The Register is not entirely reliable where denying AGW is concerned.

It is just about possible that the solar magnetic field is weakening
longer term and that could lead to no visible sunspots at all if it
falls too low, but it is far from certain. We are just on the rise of
sunspot activity at the moment and although this cycle is predicted to
be lower than the last one it is a long way from vanishing altogether.

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SolarCycle/

If we do enter a new cooler Maunder minimum it might buy us some time...

even so the regression line looks fairly sensitive and another year
with higher than expected sunspot activity might well lower the slope.

JGD

It almost certainly will.

Regards,
Martin Brown