A new look at possible connections between solar activity, clouds and climate

Kristjánsson, Jón Egill; Staple, A.; Kristiansen, Jørn; Kaas, Eigil

doi:10.1029/2002gl015646

Cited by 112 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…They estimated that global low cloud fraction is higher at solar minimum by 0.02 and radiative forcing reduced by 1.2 W m −2 compared with solar maximum. Kristjánsson et al (2002Kristjánsson et al ( , 2004 analyzed the revised ISCCP cloud dataset (Rossow and Schiffer, 1999) for the period 1983-2001 and found a weak correlation between low cloud cover and GCR intensity, and a much better correlation between low cloud cover and total solar irradiance. They proposed a mechanism connecting solar irradiance and low clouds, rather than GCR and low clouds.…”

Section: Galactic Cosmic Rays Aerosols and Cloudsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol nucleation over oceans and the role of galactic cosmic rays

et al. 2006

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Abstract. We investigate formation of sulfate aerosol in the marine troposphere from neutral and charged nucleation of H 2 SO 4 and H 2 O. A box model of neutral and charged aerosol processes is run on a grid covering the oceans. Input data are taken from a model of galactic cosmic rays in the atmosphere, and from global chemistry and transport models. We find a weak aerosol production over the tropical oceans in the lower and middle troposphere, and a stronger production at higher latitudes, most notably downwind of industrial regions. The strongest aerosol production however occurs in the upper troposphere over areas with frequent convective activity, in particular in the tropics. This finding supports the proposition by which non-sea salt marine boundary layer aerosol in tropical regions does not form in situ, but nucleates in the upper troposphere from convectively lifted and cloud processed boundary layer air rich in aerosol precursor gases, from where it descends in subsiding air masses compensating convection. Convection of boundary layer air also appears to drive the formation of condensation nuclei in the tropical upper troposphere which maintains the stratospheric aerosol layer in the absence of volcanic activity. Neutral nucleation contributes only marginally to aerosol production in our simulations. This highlights the importance of other mechanisms, including charged binary and ternary, and neutral ternary nucleation for aerosol formation. Our analysis indicates that the variation of ionization by galactic cosmic rays over the decadal solar cycle does not entail a response in aerosol production and cloud cover via the second indirect aerosol effect that would explain observed variations in global cloud cover. We estimate that the variation in radiative forcing resulting from a response of clouds to the change in galactic cosmic ray ionization and subsequent aerosol production over the decadal solar cycle is smaller than the concurrent variation of total solar irradiance.

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Section: Galactic Cosmic Rays Aerosols and Cloudsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol nucleation over oceans and the role of galactic cosmic rays

et al. 2006

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“…1, we notice a consistent correlation between DMS and SST and an anticorrelation between DMS and UVA, the relation between DMS and clouds is mainly non-linear. The anticorrelation between UVA and DMS suggest a positive feedback, as discussed in other works (Larsen 2005) or as implied by the findings of other papers (Mendoza & Velasco, 2009;Lockwood 2005;Kristjánsson et al 2002). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Climate interaction mechanism between solar activity and terrestrial biota

Osorio-Rosales¹,

Mendoza²

2011

Proc. IAU

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Abstract. The solar activity has been proposed as one of the main factors of Earth's climate variability, however biological processes have been also proposed. Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is the main biogenic sulfur compound in the atmosphere. DMS is mainly produced by the marine biosphere and plays an important role in the atmospheric sulfur cycle. Currently it is accepted that terrestrial biota not only adapts to environmental conditions but influences them through regulations of the chemical composition of the atmosphere. In the present study we used different methods of analysis to investigate the relationship between the DMS, Low Clouds, Ultraviolet Radiation A (UVA) and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the Southern Hemisphere. We found that the series analyzed have different periodicities which can be associated with climatic and solar phenomena such as El Niño, the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) and the changes in solar activity. Also, we found an anticorrelation between DMS and UVA, the relation between DMS and clouds is mainly non-linear and there is a correlation between DMS and SST. Then, our results suggest a positive feedback interaction among DMS, solar radiation and cloud at time-scales shorter than the solar cycle.

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“…As Spier (2008) indicates, some researchers have claimed that these cosmic ray fluctuations are at least as dominant a driver of global temperature changes as greenhouse gas emissions, including via changes in cloud cover (Carslaw et al 2002;Marsh and Svensmark 2000a, b). However, there is no apparent correspondence between the cosmic ray time series and global low-level cloud cover past 1994 (Kristjansson et al 2002(Kristjansson et al , 2004Sun and Bradley 2002). Likewise, the overall contribution of solar variability to global radiative forcing is small relative to anthropogenic contributions (Solomon et al 2007).…”

Section: The Role Of Cosmic Raysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change: Evidence of Human Causes and Arguments for Emissions Reduction

2011

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In a recent editorial, Raymond Spier expresses skepticism over claims that climate change is driven by human actions and that humanity should act to avoid climate change. This paper responds to this skepticism as part of a broader review of the science and ethics of climate change. While much remains uncertain about the climate, research indicates that observed temperature increases are human-driven. Although opinions vary regarding what should be done, prominent arguments against action are based on dubious factual and ethical positions. Thus, the skepticisms in the recent editorial are unwarranted. This does not diminish the general merits of skeptical intellectual inquiry.

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A new look at possible connections between solar activity, clouds and climate

Cited by 112 publications

References 14 publications

Aerosol nucleation over oceans and the role of galactic cosmic rays

Aerosol nucleation over oceans and the role of galactic cosmic rays

Climate interaction mechanism between solar activity and terrestrial biota

Climate Change: Evidence of Human Causes and Arguments for Emissions Reduction

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