From Ice-Ages to Dinosaurs and Politics: The Effects of Cosmic Rays on the Terrestrial Climate

by Dr. Nir Shaviv (Hebrew University, Jerusalem)

Tuesday 24 Feb 2004, 16:30 → 17:30 Europe/Zurich

500/1-001 - Main Auditorium (CERN)

Recent evidence suggests that changes in the galactic cosmic ray flux are affecting the global climate. I will show here that the cosmic ray flux climate connection appears to exist also on geological time scales. In particular, the cosmic ray flux variability arising from our passages through the Milky Way's spiral arms seems to be responsible for the periodic appearance of ice-age epochs on Earth every 150 million years, while on longer time scales, glacial activity correlates with the Milky Way star formation history. I will discuss the ample evidence which supports this picture, the possible relation to the demise of the dinosaurs, and the trillion dollar question of global warming, as well as other seemingly unrelated topics.

Organiser(s): Rolf Landua / PH-EP Unit
Note: Tea & coffee will be served at 16:00 hrs.