How the Sun Goes to 'Sleep' Could Reveal Future Space Weather when It Wakes
The method uses sunspot counts at a newly identified switch-off stage and could give scientists about seven years’ warning, researchers said.
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9 Articles
Based on the number of sunspots, the strength of the next solar cycle and the risk of solar storms can be estimated up to seven years in advance.
A team of scientists identified a point of "off" in the solar cycle that allows us to anticipate the force of the next solar storms up to seven years before the Sun reaches its peak of activity. It is the highest anticipation achieved so far with a forecasting technique.The method is based on the number of sunspots present at a newly identified stage of the cycle, when the most severe spatial climate stops abruptly.The researchers already used i…
A hidden “switch-off” signal could predict solar storms seven years early
A newly discovered turning point in the Sun’s 11-year cycle could allow scientists to predict future solar activity years earlier than before. At this “switch-off” point, the most violent space weather abruptly ends, and the remaining number of sunspots offers clues about the next cycle’s strength. Early projections suggest Solar Cycle 26 may be moderate, but a clearer forecast is expected in about two years.
How the Sun goes to ‘sleep’ can tell us a lot about future space weather, scientists reveal
Scientists have developed a new method to predict solar cycle strength. This approach identifies a precise point where extreme space weather abruptly ceases. Researchers can now forecast the next solar cycle's activity up to seven years in advance. Early predictions suggest Solar Cycle 26 may be moderate in strength. Further refinement of these forecasts will occur in approximately two years.
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