There is more we don’t know that we don’t know that we don’t know. (with apologies to Donald Rumsfeld).
While Solar Cycle 24 is still showing the lowest sunspot activity in 100 years, its activity during February was unexpectedly high. And we don’t really know why.
SC24 Feb 2014 graphic NOAA data from informthepundits
The increased activity in February was certainly not expected but SC24 still remains at a very low activity level compared to recent Solar Cycles.
SC21 – SC24 from solen.info
It is a little too early to see if the similarities with Solar Cycles 5 and 6 (during the time of the Dalton Minimum) will hold up and lead us into another Little Ice Age. Or whether this Landscheidt Minimum will just lead to a 30 year cooling period without quite producing a Little Ice Age.
Interesting times.
The Sun will continue to dance to its own tune and we will make believe that we know what it is doing.
But we ignore the Sun at our peril.
Tags: Dalton minimum, Landscheidt Minimum, Little Ice Age, Solar Cycle 24, sunspot activity
