Researchers at the Northumbria University in Newcastle, U.K. predicts that 15 years from now, the sun's irregular solar cycle pattern will cause a "mini ice-age" to occur on Earth.
"We found magnetic wave components appearing in pairs, originating in two different layers in the sun's interior," said Professor Valentina Zharkova from Northumbria, who led the research, Tech Times reports.
Scientists know that solar acitivity is brought about by a turbine-system of moving fluids within the sun. The team behind the study was able to come up with an accurate prediction pattern based on the sun's 11-year heartbeat, based on the fluctuating magnetic waves inside the sun.
"Combining both waves together and comparing to real data for the current solar cycle, we found that our predictions showed an accuracy of 97 percent," said Zharkova in the Royal Astronomic Society.
Using the pattern, they are able to conclude that the sun will have less solar activity or will "sleep" during its 25th and 26th cycles, which is predicted to occur by 2030.
"In cycle 26, the two waves exactly mirror each other -- peaking at the same time but in opposite hemispheres of the sun. Their interaction will be disruptive, or they will nearly cancel each other. We predict that this will lead to the properties of a 'Maunder minimum'," said Zharkova, according to Huffington Post.
