Answer: The sun helps maintain Earth's climate to be warm enough for us to survive. Even subtle changes in Earth's orbit around the sun have led to and ended past ice ages. This relationship between Earth's climate and its orbit around the sun is well known.
The sun's activity and appearance goes through cycles, with one solar cycle taking 11 years to complete. The current cycle began at the end of 2019 and will reach peak levels of activity in 2025. During a solar cycle, the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth varies. These changes have a variety of effects on Earth's atmosphere, including auroras.
The amount of solar energy Earth receives follows the sun's natural 11-year cycle of small ups and downs with no net increase since the 1950s. During this same time period, our global temperature has increased over 0.8 degrees Celsius. This warming of Earth over the past few decades is too rapid to be caused by the observed solar activity.
People are also reading... Work of La Crosse youth crochet prodigy Jonah Larson to be featured in Smithsonian American Art Museum 19-year-old Onalaska man faces felony child pornography charge Winona police find brother of Michelle Jenkins, wanted for her murder in Eau Claire, dead in his vehicle Injury forces Packers QB Jordan Love to miss time, source says. Here's what we know Electronics stolen during burglary of La Crosse apartment, complaint says 16-year-old dies from injuries in crash in rural Elroy Don Fritsch, former UW-La Crosse and Viterbo cross country coach, dies at 70 Gays Mills apple orchards and Houston hotel get new names, owners - Steve Cahalan Arrest of Venezuelan for violent acts in Prairie du Chien brings home immigration debate Keith Korn Trump threatens to jail adversaries in escalating rhetoric prior to central Wisconsin rally Vote for Tribune's football superstar of the week from 5 top performances Disgruntled employee pulls box cutter in La Crosse robbery attempt, complaint says 'People will travel for it': Minnesota cities prepare for 'border-jumping' marijuana tourists Unsheltered man charged with leaving handgun outside Hamilton Elementary School
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere raise the surface temperature through absorption of radiation at wavelengths Earth emits to space. These gases, despite being a very small percentage of the makeup of the Earth's atmosphere, are believed to play a crucial role in Earth's climate. They warm the planet, according to climate experts. The three most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane.
It is believed humans have been altering climate on local and regional scales for centuries. One of those impacts is through activities that increase the concentrations of greenhouse gases. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, human activities have increased atmospheric carbon dioxide amounts by over 50% and methane levels by 150%. These rates of increase align with the observed trends in global warming.
Steve Ackerman and Jonathan martin, professors in the UW-Madison department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, are guests on Wha radio (970 am) at noon the last Monday of each month. send them your questions at [email protected] or jemarti1@ wisc.edu.
Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.