Pinning Down the Sun-Climate Connection

Second in a two-part series on the sun-Earth connection. Part one available at Stormy Weather.

The solar flares that spew massive amounts of energy and particles earthward are notorious for the havoc they can wreak on satellites, power grids, and our planet's magnetic field (SN: 1/13/01, p. 26: Available at Stormy Weather). The charged particles that slam into the outer fringes of the atmosphere also ionize the air and stimulate shimmering auroras. During periods of increased solar activity, par