Published in ERW, 17 Jul 2014
The Sun’s 11-year cycle of activity affects the formation of cloud condensation nuclei on Earth by less than 1%, according to a study performed in the US. The amplifying effect, although larger than some previous estimates, is still too small to account for the observed solar signature on the Earth’s temperature record.
The brightness of the Sun varies by about 0.1% over its 11-year cycle. Although this difference has left an observable signature on the Earth’s temperature over time, it is far too small to account for the majority of climate change on Earth. Confusingly, however, calculations show that the amplitude of the signature is 2.5 to 3 times too large for it to be caused by a direct heating effect. […]
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