Solar Cycle

Created by: Kyle Silver, Surajkumar Ettireddy & Jorge Garcia

Quick Workshop
What is the cycle? The cycle is 22 years long. Every 11 years the sun switches polarities.

North to South = Quiet

South to North = Violent

Here is what the pattern looks like

Sine wave (periodic sequence)

More of a sine wave instead of an arithmetic or geometric sequence. The sunspot number increases, then decreases and increases again to the approximate amount of the last cycle.

Type of Pattern
The pattern is a periodic pattern. The sunspots increase and decrease in almost a set amount of time.

Solar Maximum
The solar maximum is the point where the sun is the most violent. In a graph, it's the peak of a sine wave. Temperature of the sun is above average. The temperature is approximately 8990.6 degrees fahrenheit

Solar Minimum
This is what the trough of the sine wave is. It's the most quiet period of the sun. Is very peaceful and the sun keeps an average temperature.

Solar Cycle number 24

This is where we are, the cycle is happening. At year 2013, scientists think we will reach the peak of our cycle, the solar maximum.

The Peak
The peak for this cycle,will happen in 2013.

Hottest the sun has ever gotten.

Scientist have predicted a huge solar flare.

Earth's magnetic field weakening

The earth's magnetic field has been weakening over the past hundreds of years. Basically the earth is overdue for its every 200,000 years polar reversal. We are 550,000 years overdue for one. Due to this, our magnetic field is weakening.

Connections
Earth's magnetic field is weakening. Predicted that the sun will release a massive solar flare in 2013. Will something happen to Earth? To us?

Doomsday Theory
This is connected to 2 doomsday theories. 1. Massive Solar Flare (more severe due to Earth's' magnetic field weakening) 2. Polar reversal.

The signs are here and recorded. Might or might not happen. They are theories.

Citations

(n.d.). The sunspot cycle. Retrieved from http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/sun/sscycle.html

(n.d.). What is the solar cycle?. Retrieved from http://planetfacts.org/whatis-the-solar-cycle/

(n.d.). Stereo spies first major activity of solar cycle 24. Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/news/solarcycle24.html

Roach, J. (2004, September 9). Earths magnetic field is fading. Retrieved from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0909_040909_earthma gfield.html