News
Cold comfort: The sun is cooling; doesn’t mean there will be no global warming
A new 11-year-cycle of the Sun has begun. Scientists believe the Sun was at its weakest in 2019 in the last 100 years or so — known as the solar minimum — and 2020 marks the beginning of the 25th cycle. But the odd thing is that solar activity, measured by the number of Sun spots at any given time, is pretty low even in 2020.
Sun spots are areas of strong magnetic forces on the surface of the Sun — sometimes as large as planets — that appear as darker spots because they are cooler.
The Sun had no Sun spots for around 71 per cent in 2020 through September 21, 2020, compared to 77 per cent in 2019, according to the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Environment Centre. In May this year, it was as high as 78 per cent, sparking fears of a Little Ice Age.
Scientists say the Sun may be going through a long period of decreased activity known as the Modern Grand Solar Minimum from 2020 to 2053. The last time such an event occurred was during the Maunder Minimum — from 1645 AD to 1710 AD, which was part of what is now known as the Little Ice Age — when Earth went through a series of elongated cold periods during the medieval centuries.
The alarm went off when a study predicted that the surface temperatures on Earth will go down noticeably during the Modern Grand Solar Minimum due to a 70 per cent reduction in solar magnetic activity.
The research paper, by Valentina Zarkhova of Northumbria University, the UK, was published in Temperature on August 4, 2020. To arrive at her conclusion, Zarkhova studied the complex magnetic activity in the interior of the Sun and how this impacts its total energy output measured as solar irradiance.
Variations in solar irradiance lead to heating of the upper layer of the Earth’s atmosphere and influences the transport of solar energy towards the planet’s surface.
Zarkhova studied the magnetic activity through the solar background magnetic field which occurs in the form of two magnetic waves inside the Sun.
When Zarkhova combined these two waves for solar cycles 21-26, she found that the Sun’s magnitude is going down in cycles 24-25 and becoming almost zero in cycle 26. She also found multiple grand solar minima events, including the current event from 2020-2053.
During the Maunder Minimum in the middle ages, the solar irradiance went down by 0.22 per cent or 3 watt per square metre (W/sqm) in 1710 AD when the period ended.
This brought down the temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Europe, by 1-1.5 degree Celsius and led to frozen rivers, long cold winters and cold summers. This happened because of the complex impacts of decreased solar activity on the abundance of ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere and on climatic cycles such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO).
The NAO, the balance between a permanent low-pressure system near Greenland and a permanent high-pressure system to its south, was in a negative phase during the Maunder Minimum. This plunged Europe into colder-than usual temperatures. – Down to Earth
News
Some VIP security units disbanded, special ‘motivation incentive allowance’ abolished, with some exceptions
Defence Secy. assures regular entitlements won’t be curtailed
Defence Secretary retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyakontha has assured the armed forces that contrary to claims, reports and speculation, the NPP government will not curtail various entitlements provided to them.
The declaration was made at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Headquarters at the Defence Headquarters Complex, Pelawatte, on Monday (Oct 07).
AVM Thuyakontha, who was in the centre of controversy in the run-up to the presidential election over his support for Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s candidature and blacklisted by the SLAF, visited several divisions of Air Force HQ accompanied by the Air Force Commander Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa and other senior officers.
Military Liaison Officer of the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Padman de Costa also joined the Defence Secretary on his visit to the Air Force HQ.
During the war, Thuyakontha served as the Commanding Officer of the famed 09 Squadron consisting of Mi-24 helicopter gunships.
AVM Thuyakontha reiterated the government’s commitment to the general welfare of the armed forces.
However, the government has declared that what is called ‘motivation incentive allowance’ paid to security forces personnel attached to security units of former VIPs was stopped from Sept. 22, the day after the presidential election.
The Defence Ministry has informed the Army, Navy and Air Force commanders that there was no requirement for ‘motivation incentive allowance’ as the provision of such security has been discontinued.
According to the Defence Ministry, only security units attached to the Chief of Defence Staff, three service commanders and former presidents would continue to receive the special allowance. (SF)
The SLAF will officially take delivery of Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, donated by the United States at the Katunayake airbase.
The US Embassy in Colombo said that funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Building Partner Capacity programme was part of a long-term collaboration with the Sri Lanka Air Force.
“This advanced aircraft is designed to enhance Sri Lanka’s capabilities in search and rescue operations, drug interdiction, and combating trafficking and smuggling. It will also significantly improve the country’s maritime surveillance operations while reinforcing U.S.-Sri Lanka defense cooperation,” the Embassy said.
The Beechcraft King Air 360ER is equipped with cutting-edge technology to boost Sri Lanka’s ability to patrol its waters and address maritime threats.
The aircraft would be assigned to the Number 03 Maritime Squadron based in China Bay, Trincomalee. The squadron comprises Indian and American surveillance aircraft and would be joined before end of this year by an aircraft donated by Australia.
– South Korean envoy
South Korean Ambassador Miyon Lee has assured President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of their readiness to resume investments here.
A statement issued by ROK Embassy in Colombo quoted Ambassador Lee as having reaffirmed willingness among Korean companies to recommence investments in Sri Lanka and expressed expectations on Sri Lanka’s commitment towards maintaining transparency and streamlined policies to attract Foreign Direct Investment for the country.
Ambassador Lee discussed the issue when she paid a courtesy call on President Dissanayake yesterday (09) at the Presidential Secretariat.
During the meeting, Ambassador Lee congratulated President Dissanayake on his inauguration and also conveyed best wishes from President Yoon Suk Yeol and his expectations to bolster the relationship between the two countries under the new leadership.
Ambassador Miyon Lee expressed the Korean government’s unwavering support to Sri Lanka with the continuation of people-to-people exchanges, cooperation in education, health and various other sectors. While expressing Korea’s intention to collaborate on digitalization, climatic change initiatives and in the renewable energy sector, she elaborated the role of the Korean government agencies such as KOICA, KOFIH and Saemaul Foundation working in Sri Lanka and called for Sri Lankan government’s continued support for various activities steered by these agencies in this country.
In line with the commitments set out by the International Monetary Fund, the Ambassador wished Sri Lanka for a successful Debt Restructuring Programme and emphasized the commitments by Korea Exim Bank to renew the framework agreement for loan projects to Sri Lanka.
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