Recent changes in our solar system

[Mr Silver]

I've just been doing some random research during a bout of sleeplessness and although the subject matter is something that I was aware of previously (and something most of you are probably aware of too), I was quite surprised after reading to learn about some of the changes our solar system has experienced in the last couple of decades, including some interesting anomalies that are baffling astrophysicists.

One of the major changes in the few years is the massive reduction of the Sun's magnetic field that has resulted in the heliosphere shrinking and the planets in our solar system being exposed to a hell of a lot of cosmic radiation. The main problem for us, is how these high levels of cosmic radiation will affect our atmosphere.

Now obviously, I'm not an astrophysicist - nor am I any kind of scientist, but I'm sure there are people here who know a great deal about cosmology and astrophysics, so I pose a question: (which anyone can feel free to theorise and respond to)

Any ideas as to what is happening to our solar system and why the Sun is behaving the way it is?

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Neutron monitor measurements would suggest that there was an enhanced Galactic cosmic ray flux at the Earth during the 2008-09 solar minimum but it wasn't that big of a difference.

http://neutronm.bartol.udel.edu/~pyle/modplotth.gif

from

http://www.bartol.udel.edu/gp/neutronm/

The Sun is a variable star and its recent relative quiescence doesn't appear to be as great as it probably was during the Maunder Minimum.

The recent solar minimum doesn't compare, see:

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2009/...orry-deniers-solar-cycle-24-poised-to-rev-up/

 

[YellowSubmarine]

I've not been particularly interested in solar weather and solar system general weather, but I'm still baffled by the lack of changes in the Jupiter's weather, particularly the fact that the Great Red Spot storm is still going.

It's not incredible that we are observing changes in things that we've just started observing – the Sun's magnetic field and heliosphere have been constantly changing throughout human history, we just didn't know about their existence. It's not like the Sun just decided to start misbehaving. There is something nice to be said about the times when people didn't know about those things – everyone lived their lives oblivious to the things happening 1 AU away, and noticed no changes in their day-to-day business because of them – and why should they be concerned about something so distant anyway?

Now, the existence of an anticyclone that's been raging for hundreds of years, and we knew about it all the time while gradually learning that it is a storm – that's creepy stuff.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The current thinking is that the GRS might be a soliton produced by Jupiter's rotation and not a real storm.

 

[Shazam!]

The main problem for us, is how these high levels of cosmic radiation will affect our atmosphere.