We seem to be coming out of a grand maximum of solar activity.
太阳活动的极大期刚刚结束
And we will, past experience tells us, go into a grand minimum.
过去的经验告诉我们 将要进入太阳活动极小期
It's just a question of how soon.
多快进入是个问题
It could be as little as 40 years time.
少则四十年
It could take a couple of hundred years.
多达数百年
But the long-term record from cosmogenic isotopes tell us
但宇宙射线同位素的长期记录告诉我们
that it will, eventually, go back into a grand minimum again.
太阳活动最终将会回到一个极小期
We now know for sure that it wasn't
现在我们确切知道
the grand solar cycle that was responsible for Britain
并不是大太阳周期
shivering through two record-breaking cold winters on the trot.
使英国经历了连续两年破纪录的寒冬
Of course, the end of the regular 11-year cycle
当然 正常11年周期的结束
combined with other natural weather factors,
以及其他自然天气因素
played a part in these record-breaking winters.
也在史无前例的寒冬中起了作用
But some experts didn't think that was enough.
但是一些专家认为这还不够
Something was missing.
还少了点什么