Does this study help to shed light on the cause of Martian warming?

Earlier in the year the "mars is warming so it must be the sun" question was raised here quite a few times usually with this link

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/07...

And while it makes a great headline if you actually read the whole article (I assume most deniers didn't) it ends with a number of experts stating the idea (by a Russian scientist) doesn't work because simply put in the time the southern pole on Mars has been observed shrinking (just the last few years) the Sun has not shown an marked increase in output since satellite observation began in the late 70s.

racefish: The difference since measurement began in the mid 70s of Solar irradiance, is measured in W/m2 the average low cycle figure is ~1365.5 and the average high figure is ~1366.4 that is a difference of 0.1% between the high and low cycle. As for Kool-Aid you can go first.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_variation

And as for the connection to climate change the warmest year on record 1998 is just the year after the last minimum.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/235402/g...

Since the sun cycles are 11 years long, the statement that "Sun has not shown an marked increase in output since satellite observation began in the late 70s." is somewhat ill informed. It has been shown the sun-spot cycle co-relates with the amount of energy emitted by the sun.

Mankind is still early in its search in explaining how the earth, much less the solar system and universe works. Until we know much more, global warming will only be what it is now, and that's an unproven hypothesis.

If we had sensors all over the surface of Mars, we still wouldn't have concrete answers as to what "really" is happening. Don't drink the kool-aid yet.

Solar cycles of sunspots are very well documented for at least 1500 years and maybe more. There is a note the history of Charles the great called in history Charlemagne by his historian Einhard that just before his death the sun which had been spot free for many generations suddenly began showing spots like it had measles. This was the end of the dark ages and the beginning of the first stages of the MWP. At first the priests said these sunspots heralded Charlemagne’s death, but later because the climate improved, the growing seasons lengthened and the nation became more prosperous that said that it was a blessing given by god for the good things the king had accomplished in his life. This was ones of the reasons given later when the church made him a saint was the bringing of a warmer climate and greater prosperity to the world.

http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96apr/charlemagne...

This does not shed light on the cause of warming. It describes much more vigorous redistribution of heat energy than expected. What drives the air currents is heat energy from the sun, same as on Earth.

I would say that the past 18,000 years of global warming since the last Ice Age pretty well proves that if humans did not exist at all, the Earth's warming cycle would have progressed as usual. With recent cooling (Gore's hockey-stick graph is broken!) we have to wonder if the expected downturn has begun.

At least Jim z admits we don't understand how the Martian climate works. Maybe now the right can stop using it (as an excuse for substance) to argue against AGW.

All did for me is confirm how little we understand about what drives Martian climate.

"The recent cooling requires" only that you walk outside.

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=3...