Sun is an enormous source of energy and was considered the prime factor impacting the temperature of our planet Earth. Conventionally, cold and warm climate were considered to be the direct outcome of changes in the solar activity. However, researchers have denied this theory rather claim that the fluctuation in heat from sun does not drastically influence the climate of earth.
To understand what might have caused these long seasons of cold and warm climate on earth, researchers studied the factors affecting the climate of northern hemisphere in the last 1000 years. The researchers at University of Edinburgh used reports of previous temperatures established with data from tree rings and other historic sources. These reports of data were analyzed using a computer based model of past climate, keeping in account any minor or major changes in solar activity.
They found that the year 1800 the volcanic eruptions were the major factor responsible for the climatic changes. These volcanic outbursts formed a layer barring the sunrays to reach earth and so the climate was mostly drier and cooler. Since the year 1900, green house gases are the one influencing the changes in weather.
The study clearly pointed out that the low sun activity is not responsible for any significant changes in the climate. This new discovery will give the scientist better insight for any climate forecasting in the future.
Another scientist Dr Andrew Schurer, from the University of Edinburgh’s School of GeoSciences says that until now there was meager understanding on how the sun affected the climatic changes in the past era. But today the humanity is in a better position to understand the pattern of climate changes in the past and thus can more accurately predict the changes in the future. Which also hints at keeping a check in terms of regulating the amount of green house gases being released so that we can save the planet for the generations to come.
Source: Science World Report
