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December 13, 2002
A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK IN
RI
You said "light" (visible) rather than "heat"
(infrared), but all the
electromagnetic radiation from the sun is relevant here. The
energy
output from the sun is one of the factors that affects the
temperature of the earth. Here are a couple of sites with
relevant
information:
http://www.co2science.org/edit/v4_edit/v4n48edit.htm
(though I don't
agree that CO2 and other "greenhouse gases" are
not playing a role in
the earth's temperature, the input from the sun is fundamental)
http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/space/solterr/output.html
Surprisingly small differences are correlated with the ice
ages vs.
interglacial warm periods. Sun spots, being black, are cooler
and
are associated with lower solar output - and with cooler times
on
earth.
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