As fate would have it we have something of an expert here in things celestial.
Perhaps he could shed some light on solar activity right now?
My opinion.....
It has been close to normal this winter with some very abnormal warm spells and reduced snow pack.
Ha!
I`m experienced in designing and building extremely sensitive radio telescope apparatus, and I know how to make measurements of extremely weak radio noise from deep space out to near the edge of the known universe. I self-taught and toiled as a SETI radioastronomer, for which one does not need a university degree to do since despite the self-interest wishes of the academic community, the secrets of the universe don`t need to see papers to reveal their secrets.
I trained to recognize what was naturally occuring radio energy coming from space and how artificially generated signals from a distant technological intelligent civilization might best be detected and identified against the natural celestial background and cacophony of human made interference. I suppose I would more properly call myself a `space explorer`than anything else. I know only enough about astrophysics to have an idea of what the eggheads are talking about in their related field of `exploration`because I had to learn the basics including the causes of the natural radiations in order to do SETI properly. In order to find a needle in a haystack it is necessary to know enough about the properties of hay. I do not claim to have any physics expertise in matters of our own sun, despite once having had the experience of operating microwave solar radiotelescopes and collecting data for Mr. Ken Tapping. I am familiar with what solar burps and farts look and sound like in a telescope radio receiver. I was even at the telescope site (March 1989) when the sun last farted with an especially energized SBD that took out electric power in Quebec from the EMP, a direct result of a massive Solar Mass Ejection launched towards Earth.
Since it falls outside of my purview I have nothing of value to add in any discussion of long term solar heating and cooling effects on our planet. If I could afford pay-purview, this topic would undoudedly be beyond that as well.
Sorry.
Do I personally believe that it is Man`s influence through indescriminate pollution, wholesale deforestation of the rain forest so McDonalds et al can sell hamburgers, and extremely wasteful burning of fossil fuels with no regard for the consequences is responsible for the wonky climate and melting polar caps we see now? NO DOUBT in this man`s mind!
ONE THING IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR. If we are to survive as a species two of our fundamentally overriding self destructive practices must be overcome. The greed driven industrial/business/financial model which relies on continuous growth in order for survival must be significantly tamed. The other has to do with mass organized psychological dependance of the immaginary.
