European scientists predict that the Earth is heading for “Mini Ice Age” by the year 2030, due to 60 per cent fall in solar activity between 2030 and 2040. According to a report, last mini-ice age lasted from 1645 to 1715. In 1843, the fluctuations in Sun’s activities were found by the scientists, according to which Sun’s activity varies every 10-12 years.

Why “Mini Ice Age” will come by the year 2030?

Professor Valentina Zharkova presented a paper at the National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno, which predicted “Mini Ice Age” by the year 2030. Professor Zharkova and her team of researchers use a new model to “predict irregularities within the Sun’s 11-year heartbeat”. According to a report by Science Daily, the new model “draws on dynamo effects in two layers of the Sun, one close to the surface and one deep within its convection zone.”

“In cycle 26, the two waves exactly mirror each other, peaking at the same time, but in opposite hemispheres of the Sun. We predict that this will lead to the properties of a Maunder minimum,” said Professor Zharkova at the meeting, as reported by the Royal Astronomical Society.

The researchers discovered that magnetic waves in two different layers of the sun’s interior fluctuate between the northern and southern hemispheres of the sun.

Ms. Zharkova said “Combining both waves together and comparing to real data for the current solar cycle, we found that our predictions showed an accuracy of 97 per cent.”

There will be fewer sunspots in the next two solar cycles as shown by the magnetic wave patterns. Cycle 25, which peaks in 2022 and Cycle 26, from 2030 to 2040 will both have a noteworthy reduction in solar activity leading to the Mini Ice Age.

Story Source: The above post has information provided by Royal Astronomical Society (RAS).