Aug 6 1980
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(New page: A small device flown in space for the first time had detected small changes in the Sun's brightness over periods of days to months, NASA said. An experiment on the Solar Max satellite ...)
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A small device flown in space for the first time had detected small changes in the Sun's brightness over periods of days to months, NASA said. An experiment on the Solar Max satellite had registered fluctuations of about a tenth of 1% in solar radiation, corresponding to a change of up to 10°C (18'F) in the Sun's average temperature. This trend lasting for several years could make major alterations in Earth's climate:, measurement of even the slightest change in the Sun's emitted heat and light might enable scientists to predict future changes in climate. A drop of 1% in the output of solar radiation would lower Earth's mean temperature by more than a degree (2°F); if solar radiation decreased by only 6%, the entire Earth would be covered with ice.
Evidence showed that Earth had been cooling down for about 90 million years; it was about 8 °C (15'F) warmer 150 million years ago than it was today and might cool by 10° or more in the next several million years. Cycles with frequencies ranging from 22 years to millions of years had caused ice ages ranging from glacial epochs to "little ice ages." Most recent of the latter, beginning in the mid-17th century and lasting about: 200 years, was a 1.5° drop from mean global temperature of 14°C (58°F): it resulted in observable increase of glaciation in the Alps. (NASA Release 80-124)
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