Show chan changes gires charted scientists make analysis of data gathered over 15 year period washington seven radiation pulsations of the sun have been confirmed by harvard university mathematicians who have completed a rigid mathematical analysis of data gathered by the smithsonian institution ution over 15 years measurements with delicate instruments st on cloudless mountain tops scattered over the earth for the last 20 years have shown that the solar heat received at the outer edge of the earths atmosphere varies from day to day the sun upon chose radiation all life depends is a variable star the increases and decreases however were interwoven into an almost inextricable pattern sometimes the peaks of two or more coincided and sometimes several depressions came together several years ago dr charles G abbot secretary of the smithsonian institution found by splitting up the total curve of the suns radiation that it consisted of 12 subsidiary pulsations all of which had a least common denominator of approximately 23 years that is every 23 years the star went through a complete pulsation cycle some statistical illusions the analysis however I 1 was extremely difficult some of the radiation differences in so far as they could be detected by any instruments miles away were very minute all the complex effects of passage through the earths atmosphere on solar radiation had to be discounted there was at least a possibility that some of the apparent pulsations were statistical illusions difficult to recognize dr theodore E sterne of harvard university under undertook toolE with the aid of his graduate students to analyze the data by a different more inore laborious and more rigid mathematical ema procedure A mathematician familiar with the pitfalls of statistical illusion dr sterne approached pro ached the problem with an objectively skeptical attitude |