DD,
In light of the explanation Cater gives for Sunspots:
Pg. 224
Although the interior of the Sun is relatively cool, the temperature gradually builds up over eons time. The effects of the disintegration and dispersion of soft particles generated by the activity of the fundamental particles, slowly increase the temperature throughout the interior. Much of this effect is contributed by less stable particles that don't travel very far from their point of origin before disintegration occurs. As the temperature increases, the rate of disintegration of particles increases. This greater activity also results in more particles being created. The more stable particles concentrate near the surface because they travel further before disintegration. When this concentration reaches a critical state, and explosion results, causing an abnormal quantity to be ejected from the surface. this is the cause of the sunspots which function as relief valves. This condition has it's parallel on Earth in the form of volcanoes."
Then, what do you make of the article below. Is there a connection between Jupiter and Sunspots, or, is it coincidental? Jupiter's cycle is closer to 12 years than the stated 11, but during that 11th year would be Jupiter would be applying towards the Sun? Or, a connection between Earth conjunctions with Planets? Do you think there is a connection in planetary movement with sunspots? Or no connection at all, and it is as simple as Cater states? And these scientists making speculation just have not read Mr. Cater's findings?
Curious, trying graduate from kindergarten so that I could move up to 1st grade by fall.
Leslee
From Science Frontiers #108, NOV-DEC 1996. © 1996-2000 William R. Corliss
http://www.science-frontiers.com/sf108/sf108p03.html
SUNSPOTS AND PLANETARY ALIGNMENTS
Many scientists and laymen have noticed that the sunspot cycle and Jupiter's period are both about 11 years. This must be a coincidence, because the tidal forces exerted on the sun by distant Jupiter seem far too weak to disturb the sun's internal operations. (See details in ASO9 in The Sun and Solar System Debris.)
Could it be that we are missing something, for there is some evidence that some planetary alignments also exert influence on the number of spots seen on the sun's face?
In particular, the Uranus-Neptuneearth conjunction has been investigated by B. Payne, who wrote the following in Cycles:
"Sunspots increase when two or more planets line up, an effect I have observed for more than a decade. During the last six years, Uranus and Neptune have been within a few degrees of each other. Their conjunction, which occurs every 137 years, is an ideal situation to validate the hypothesis that sunspot numbers are associated with planetary positions." Payne's lengthy analysis is omitted, but the essence of his study can be
seen in the accompanying graph. He concludes:
"The results clearly show that sunspot numbers increase markedly during Uranus-Neptune-Earth-sun alignments." (Payne, Buryl; "Sunspot Number Changes during Planetary Alignments," Cycles, 45:146, 1995)
Comment. It will take a lot more than one such conjunction to convince the scientific community that the mere lining up of comparatively tiny planets can have any effect on those huge storms we call sunspots!
Reference. The Catalog: The Sun and Solar System Debris, mentioned above, is described more fully at here.
Sunspot numbers during the 1990 conjunctions of Earth-Uranus (June 30) and Earth-Neptune (July 6).