The Solar Wind and Climate: Evaluating the Influence of the Solar Wind on Temperature and Teleconnection Patterns Using Correlation Maps

TL;DR

This study investigates how solar wind influences surface temperatures and teleconnection patterns, revealing that solar wind effects are comparable to major climate patterns and highlighting the need for multi-pathway considerations in solar activity's climate impact.

Contribution

It introduces a correlation map approach to quantify the influence of solar wind on climate and demonstrates its significance relative to established teleconnection patterns.

Findings

Solar wind influence is as strong as teleconnection patterns.

Both solar wind and UV changes are important for understanding solar activity effects.

A multi-pathway scheme is necessary to explain solar activity's climate impact.

Abstract

Evaluating the magnitude of natural climate variations is important because it can greatly affect future climate policies. As an example, we examine the influence of changes in solar activity (solar wind in particular) on surface temperatures (Ts) and major teleconnection patterns such as the Arctic Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation. We compared correlation maps (spatial distribution of correlation coefficient) for a combination of Ts and a geomagnetic index (aa, an indicator of solar wind strength) and a combination of Ts and the teleconnection patterns. The phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation of the equatorial zonal wind and magnitude of sunspot number were considered. As a result, we found that the influence of the solar wind is as strong as that of the teleconnection patterns and hence, the former appears to affect the climate via the latter. It was also found that both the solar wind and ultraviolet change should be considered to explain the influence of solar activity variability, i.e., a multi-pathway scheme is necessary.