UPSC Articles
Modern Grand Solar Minimum
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Space
In news
- The magnitude of the Sun’s solar activity is decreasing.
- This period of decreased solar activity is known as the Modern Grand Solar Minimum that will last from 2020 to 2053.
Key takeaways
- This is done by observing the number of Sunspots at any given time.
- The number of sunspots is directly proportional to solar activity.
- More Sunspots mean more solar activity.
- The last time such an event occurred was during the Maunder Minimum, from 1645 CE to 1710 CE.
Impact
- The surface temperatures on Earth may go down during the Modern Grand Solar Minimum due to a 70% reduction in solar magnetic activity.
- Variations in solar irradiance will lead to heating of the upper layer of the Earth’s atmosphere and influences the transport of solar energy towards the planet’s surface.
- Decreased solar activity has complex impacts on the abundance of ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere
- It also affects the climatic cycles of Earth such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO).
