STUDENT: Tj Lepkowski

PROJECT ADVISOR: Asif ud-Doula, Agnes Kim

ABSTRACT:

The correlation between sunspots and solar activity can help us understand that the changes the sun undergoes during its 11-year solar cycle effects the weather/climate here on Earth. The previous phase of the solar cycle, which reached solar maximum in 2014, i.e. reached maximum number of sunspots, was lower than the predicted values and lower than it has been since the 1970’s. Despite this decrease in solar activity, average global temperatures continue to rise, even as the Sun is currently at the solar minimum period. Using a solar telescope, real time observations of sunspots can be made, or lack thereof. Sunspots appear as small black specks on the photosphere; we can determine if the sun is at solar minimum when there are no spots to be found. There are currently no spots which leads us to the conclusion that if the sun’s solar activity increases to normal or above average activity during future solar maximums, global temperatures will be higher than ever.