Solar influences on polar modes of variability

Haigh, Joanna D.; Roscoe, Howard K.. 2006 Solar influences on polar modes of variability. Meteorologische Zeitschrift, 15 (3). 371-378. 10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0123

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Abstract/Summary

We present a multiple regression analysis of time series of the leading modes of variability in high latitudes, the Northern and Southern Annular Modes (NAM and SAM). The potential forcing factors we investigate include solar activity and stratospheric (volcanic) aerosol, the quasi-biennial oscillation, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and stratospheric ozone concentrations. We investigate levels from the surface to the middle stratosphere and we also conduct a similar analysis of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in surface pressure. We find a significant trend in SAM at all levels and in surface NAM but not in the NAO. There is some correlation of ENSO with both the SAM and NAM, with warm events being associated with weakening of the polar vortices. Strong volcanic aerosol signals are found with different signs in the two hemispheres. There is a clear solar influence on the NAO but no statistically significant signals of solar forcing are found in either the NAM or SAM. The QBO is not detected except, marginally, in the NAM in winter. However, when a new index, the product of the solar and QBO indices, is used in place of the two factors individually then a good correlation is found throughout the atmosphere in the SAM, and at the lower levels in the winter NAM. The different results for the NAO and surface NAM lead us to conclude, speculatively, that a (solar) stratospheric influence on the troposphere may well be through two different routes. The first of these is the influence of low latitude lower stratospheric heating on the Hadley circulation and mid-latitude eddies and thus on the NAO; the second is modulation, by a combination of solar and QBO forcing, of the polar stratosphere which influences the annular modes in both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0123
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Global Science in the Antarctic Context (2005-2009) > Long-Term Monitoring and Survey – Physical Sciences Division
ISSN:	0941-2948
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Full text not available from this repository
Additional Keywords:	Atmosphere ; Southern Annular Mode ; Northern Annular Mode ; North Atlantic Oscillation
NORA Subject Terms:	Atmospheric Sciences
Date made live:	30 Aug 2007 14:22 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/52

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0123

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Global Science in the Antarctic Context (2005-2009) > Long-Term Monitoring and Survey – Physical Sciences Division

ISSN:

0941-2948

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Full text not available from this repository

Additional Keywords:

Atmosphere ; Southern Annular Mode ; Northern Annular Mode ; North Atlantic Oscillation