Solar Cycle Update—Will the New Cycle Please Start?

The wait for the increased space weather activity of Cycle 24 continues. New cycle sunspots have appeared, however haltingly, as the Sun now begins to emerge from its doldrums. The duration of the just – finished solar minimum has been the subject of recent discussions, as many have sought to put that lengthy interlude into the proper historical context. Some even have argued that this is just the beginning of a prolonged period of very low space weather activity.

So what happens now? When will the eruptive activity begin and how strong will it be? When will solar maximum occur? These questions will be answered, at least partially, in this talk. Additional questions relating to new, developing technologies, and the impacts of adverse space weather on those technologies, will also be addressed.