Getting closer to the cosmic connection to climate |
comment by Francis Massen,
meteoLCD
file: getting_closer.html
date: 05 Oct 2006
Henrik Svensmark
Danish National Space Center
Henrik Svensmark and Eigil Friis-Christensen were the first to suggest ( in the 1990's) a link between galactic cosmic rays (CGR) and global warming; this link has now be shown to be physical possible through the SKY experiment done at the Danish National Space Center (paper published in the "Proceedings of the Royal Society A", October 3rd)
The following picture (additions by meteoLCD) shows the influence of CGR's on low (but not higher!) cloud cover; these low clouds are responsible for shielding from the sun and cooling the earth. During the last 100 years the event sequence "high solar activity --> fewer CGRs --> fewer low clouds --> lesser cooling = more warming" might explain 1.2 W/m2 of the 1.4 W/m2 forcing attributed by the IPCC to man-made greenhouse gases!
Read the relevant reports and articles here at the Danish National Space Center!