Cosmoclimatology: How space can affect climate on Earth

Description

Surprisingly the mechanisms leading to cloud formation are still not well described, making clouds the major source of uncertainty in understanding Earth’s climate. One mechanism that can lead to the formation of cloud condensation nuclei is that of ion induced nucleation – formation of molecular clusters enhanced by ions. Cosmic rays are a major contributor to the ionization of Earth and the amount of these rays reaching the atmosphere is controlled by the activity of the Sun, providing a link between solar activity and climate on Earth. In this talk I will explain the background of the theory of Cosmoclimatology and present some of the evidence for the theory – from paleoclimate, satellite observations, and experiments - on timescales from minutes to millions of years

Period	1 Jan 2010
Held at	Aarhus University, Denmark