It's traditionally held (to my understanding) that solar flares do not affect Earth weather and climate. Is everyone here in agreement that is the case?
Solar flares can affect a bunch of other physical systems on the planet.
Weighing in on the sure-it-could-theoretically-affect-Earth-weather side of the debate is, for one, this page:
http://www.innerx.net/personal/tsmith/13Mar89.html
Excerpt:
"The distortion of the magnetic field induces currents in conductors. The power grids at high latitudes are especially subject to these induced currents. The 13 March storm left 6 million people in Quebec without power for up to 9 hours. Power failures occurred at the same time in Sweden.
There are numerous efects observed on Earth that exhibit an 11-year periodicity, the same as the well-known solar cyhcle (which is technically a 22-year cycle). These effects include auroral activity, magnetic storms and there are even examples of 11-year cycles in weather patterns. The March 1989 activity marked the beginning of the maximum in solar cycle 22."
...and...
The 13 March 1989 Solar Storm caused an increase in high frequency fluctuations in surface atmospheric pressure, according to chao-dyn/9807008 by Selvam, Fadnavis, Athale and Tinmaker, who say: "... Observational studies indicate that there is a close association between geomagnetic storm and meteorological parameters. Geomagnetic field lines follow closely the isobars of surface pressure (J.W.King, 1975 Aeronautics and Astronautics 13(4), 10 ). A Physical mechanism linking upper atmospheric geomagnetic storm disturbances with tropospheric weather has been proposed by sikka et. al.(1987 Adv. Atmos. Sci. 5(2), 217) where it is postulated that vertical mixing by turbulent eddy fluctuations results in the net transport upward of positive charges originating from lower levels accompanied simultaneously by downward flow of negative charges from higher levels.
And spelling aside, any credence to the potential for a positive outcome in this experiment, linking weather to flares etc.?
http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/nsfall0 ... ther..html
Excerpt:
"We want to know how, if they do, do solar flares effect the earth's weather? We propose that it does effect the earth's weather..."
I remember methane mike....always talked above peoples heads