Solar activity normally rises and falls in 11-year cycles, but longer variations can last decades. From the 1980s until 2008, the Sun weakened, with 2008 marking the lowest activity ever recorded. Researchers expected the trend to continue, but instead plasma and magnetic field measurements began climbing.
"All signs were pointing to the Sun going into a prolonged phase of low activity," said Jamie Jasinski of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, lead author of the study. "So it was a surprise to see that trend reversed. The Sun is slowly waking up."
Higher activity brings more frequent solar storms, flares, and coronal mass ejections. These phenomena can affect spacecraft, astronauts, GPS, radio signals, and power grids on Earth, making prediction essential for missions like NASA's Artemis program.
NASA's upcoming IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe), Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and NOAA's SWFO-L1 missions will provide fresh space weather data to safeguard lunar and Martian exploration.
Historical records show past quiet phases, such as 1645 - 1715 and 1790 - 1830, but scientists remain uncertain about the causes of such long-term lows. The study used heliospheric data from NASA's OMNIWeb Plus, with key measurements provided by the ACE and Wind spacecraft launched in the 1990s.
The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, emphasize how the Sun's magnetic field and solar wind shape planetary magnetospheres across the solar system, influencing space environments far beyond Earth.
Research Report:The Sun Reversed Its Decades-long Weakening Trend in 2008
Related Links
Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe
Solar Science News at SpaceDaily
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