Although we’ve been covering this quiet sun issue for over a year on WUWT, the light bulb seems to have gone on for mainstream media right about now.
There is growing press coverage about the current state of the sun, most recently from Charles Osgood of CBS News as well as the BBC and other major outlets. While the sun slumbers deeper and has missed its cyclic snooze alarm, our media is finally waking up to the solar somnolence.
Here is a short roundup of news articles on this subject today:
‘Still Sun’ baffling astronomers
Scientists warn sun has dimmed
Sun ‘at its quietest for 100 years’
Has the sun gone in? Earth’s closest star ‘dimmest it’s been for a century’
So the question arises, now that this has been identified, what should we call it?
There have been some good ideas, such as naming it after Jack Eddy, who coined the phrase “Maunder Minimum“. There’s been some discussion of a “Gore Minimum”, but I don’t like the idea of giving Gore credit for something he has nothing to do with, or even likely understands. There’s been suggestion of “The Hansen Minimum” which makes a little more sense, since he’s an astronomer by training. On that note, Leif Svalgaard predicted this, so maybe it should be his honor.
So, I’ve decided to have a poll, and I’ll take suggestions for other names than what I’ve listed.
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Can we call it the “Gore is a fraud minimum”?
I don’t want people a couple hundred years from now to get the impression that he got anything right.
Absolutely NOT “gore” anything.
You name things after people worth remembering. Or, in science, as an homage to a scientist.
“Gore Minimum”, from what I can see, refers to his IQ.
How about “Congressional Minimum” – because of the dimness of the body
The “Politically Incorrect Minimum”
I am curious if those readers more versed in Solar Physics have any expectation on when temps should start moving down. I saw david archibald’s short term perdiction – an action I applaud – but how does the theory go? Are we looking at reductions after this cycle (24 the one just trying to start) ends or does it trial 2-3 years from the lower output which started a few years ago – ideas?
All the AGW crowd seems to think that the levelling off (cooling, by not warming) data is proof the sun’s output will (has) not impact (ed) the Globe. I had thought the cooling was in the pipeline, but would lag… Am I in error with the theory?
BTW that is “prediction” and “trail’, respectively!
Of course, even with the news articles above, the AGW drumbeat rolls on, oblivious to the fact that the earth has been cooling for nearly a decade and oblivious to the fact of good correlation of minimums and colder era’s. One can only hope some sanity returns to media.
I believe Leif should get the honor. Let’s face it, he publicly made the forecast for the current very low level of solar activity at a time when few others would do so. He should feel vindicated!
Speaking of that, Leif mentioned in another recent thread that Hathaway had publicly admitted in an e-mail that he (Leif) was right and Hathaway wrong. I do extend my congratulations to him, and suggest that in this circumstance it is perfectly acceptable to feel vindicated, and indeed, perhaps even a bit smug. This should rightly give Leif immense personal and professional satisfaction.
Again, my congratulations!
Dan Murphy
It is an unfortunate reflection of our time that this is such a pertinant topic. Science has been, to higher degree than normal, misused by politicians. The name of the minimum should perhaps stand as a reminder of our eager but premature folly to understand or even control nature. My vote is for the Gore Minimum.
The In-A-Minute Minimum
It seems perverse to name a developing solar minimum after those who deny the role of the Sun in climate
In honor of the man who called AGW the greatest scam in history – Coleman Minimun
Gore Minimum
The end of the good times minimum.
Deniers Minimum
I will third that: “Gore Minimum”
Gore Minimum is bad. Real bad name. Remember, this will, if it will, be in the history of sol, so why give Gore just for the sake of the joke? It’s bad humour really.
Same about Hansen.
The obvious sane choice is Svalgaard Minimum.
The Gore-Hansen Minimum would be a never ending reminder of these two bozos and all the crap they have spewed.
It would be a permanent reminder of how science can be perverted for fame, fortune and ego.
The name wouldn’t make them famous, it would make them infamous.
Well, given that we have been Gored by the bull^%&…
Gore Minimum
Aron and M White beat me to it, but I assure you that was the FIRST thing popped into my mind.
How about the “Gore Effect Minimum?”
Voted for Gore Minimum but OT anyone else notice that Catlin Survey has changed from “live from the Ice” to “Latest from the Ice” Woot for WUWT in pointing out the fake datastream. JG
It´s clear for me. It should be the “Landscheidt Minimum”, named after Theodor Landscheidt who predicted almost 10 years before the weak solar cycle 24 and also several weak cycles after that what will create a Maunder type solar minimum.
Landscheidt Minimum. I think he was among the first to predict the coming decline in solar activity some 20 years ago.
The Anthony Minimum