NASA Links 4.6 Billion Years of Solar History to Earth's Climate as 3 Shield Collapses Emerge
Updated
Updated · Moneycontrol · Aug 25
NASA Links 4.6 Billion Years of Solar History to Earth's Climate as 3 Shield Collapses Emerge
3 articles · Updated · Moneycontrol · Aug 25
Summary
Two NASA-backed studies say the Sun's ancient behavior may have shaped Earth's climate more than thought, tying both early-Earth warming and later climate swings to solar history.
One study found the young, dimmer Sun may still have helped keep liquid water on Earth by driving chemistry that boosted greenhouse gases, offering a new angle on the faint young Sun paradox.
A second study modeled the Solar System's path through cold interstellar clouds and found they could compress the heliosphere enough to leave Earth outside the Sun's protective bubble.
NASA's earlier SHIELD results said that collapse happened three times—about 2-3, 6-7 and 13-14 million years ago—potentially exposing Earth to more cosmic radiation during major climate shifts.
The findings widen climate research beyond greenhouse gases, orbital cycles and ice cover, suggesting the Sun's galactic environment also belongs in Earth's long-term climate record.