Solar Radiation is the energy that the Sun produces, and some of it reaches Earth. It is the main energy source in the biosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere. Scientists have been measuring the slight variations in energy released by the Sun over the past 40 years and found that the current global warming is not the result of these fluctuations.
The increase in Earth’s surface temperature is not caused by changes in the amount and type of energy that the Sun sends to Earth.
The amount of energy released from the Sun changes by about 0.1% every 9 to 11 years. These cycles do not cause the current global heating trend. This is due to an increase in greenhouse gases in the air. To do your bit to reduce these gases, consider harnessing solar energy with Solar Panel Installers Weston from https://redbridgeandsons.co.uk/solar-pv-panels/solar-panel-installers-weston
Changes in solar output could have influenced the climate in northern Europe from the middle 1600s until the early 1700s during the cold period known as the Little Ice Age. This is a period of reduced sunspots activity called the Maunder Minimum. Sunspots are actually areas on the Sun which temporarily emit less light. However, they often form along with brighter areas called faculae that release more light. Sunspots and faculae are reduced when the Sun releases less energy.
Solar radiation has affected Earth systems on different scales. These include:
- Having an impact on Earth’s average temperature.
- Increased or decreased temperature can affect the distribution of ice and snow cover.
- The growth of photosynthesising organs affects the biomass and productivity in ecosystems.