October 24, 2006
CAN CAPTAIN OZONE STOP THEM?:
Cosmic Rays Linked to Global Warming (Sara Goudarzi, 23 October 2006, LiveScience)
Earth's recent warming trend might in part be due to a lack of starlight reaching our planet, a new study suggests. But other scientists are not so sure.Posted by Orrin Judd at October 24, 2006 10:54 PMAccording to a theory proposed a decade ago, when a star explodes far away in the Milky Way, cosmic rays—high-speed atomic particles—go through the Earth’s atmosphere and produce ions and free electrons.
The released electrons act as catalysts and accelerate the formation of small clusters of sulfuric acid and water molecules, the building blocks of clouds. Therefore, cosmic rays would increase cloud cover on Earth, reflecting sunlight and keeping the planet relatively cool.
However, because the Sun’s magnetic field—which shields the Earth from these rays—doubled in intensity during the last century, there has been a reduction in cloudiness, a possible contributor to Earth’s warming.
This is fascinating, in that I just finished watching a NOVA segment on how the intensity of earth's magnetic field is falling dramatically, in preparation for an once every 100-150,000 year reversal in polarity (South & North Poles switch).
Wouldn't the Sun's increase be offset by the earth's decrease in magnetic field intensity.
Might this also not explain the ozone hole, given that the poles bear the brunt of solar wind?
Posted by: Bruno at October 25, 2006 12:06 AMBruno, there is a simple explaination for the "hole". The poles are cold because they get little sunlight. Sunlight makes ozone. QED.
Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at October 25, 2006 12:33 PM