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Session: Heliophysics and the Solar System

Name: Dr. Stergios Misios (National Obaservatory of Athens)
Coauthors: No coauthors were included.
Type: Oral
Title: Solar cycle influences on the atmosphere and climate
Abstract:

Understanding the influence of solar irradiance variability on the Earth’s surface could help us articulate climate variations prior to the era of the dominant anthropogenic forcing. Recent studies, including coordinated multi-model activities like the CMIP5, have further supported some earlier evidence that the solar irradiance variability influences the stratosphere/troposphere system and large scale atmospheric and ocean circulation on decadal time scales. However, many regional patterns demonstrate substantial uncertainties because of the internal variability of the climate system. Climate models help us to understand the mechanisms contributing to the surface response and using carefully designed model simulations and rigorous statistical analysis it is now possible to identify decadal signatures of the solar cycle forcing on precipitation and surface temperature. I will present efforts to simulate irradiance changes over the 11-yr sunspot cycle with the aid of global models of the Earth’s climate and discuss how total and spectral irradiances influence the stratosphere, troposphere, and the oceans.