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Solar Wind and the Atmosphere

8 October 2013
Electromagnetism

At http://phys.org/print300354398.html … a paper in Nature Physics shows for the first time, in academic literature, a direct link between solar storms, shock waves and soalar radio bursts. Solar storms were accompanied by solar radio bursts which can cause problems to satellite systems and mobile phone networks. Peter Gallagher, a solar physicist at Trinity College, Dublin, established a radio observatory in Ireland in order to monitor solar radio bursts. It was discovered that solar storms create shock waves that race at millions of mph, accelerating electrons to huge energies – which proceed the radio noise. Se www.nature.com/nphys/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nphys2787.html

Meanwhile, at http://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/paper-solar-wind-linked-electr… … which is a post by Tim Channon which looks at a paper by MM Lam, G Chisham, and MV Freeman, 'The Interplanetary magnetic field influences mid-latitude surface atmospheric pressure' (British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET – open access at http://stacks.iop.org/ERL/8/045001 – the existence of a meteorological response in the polar regions to fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field is well established. More controversially, they say, there is evidence to suggest that the Sun-weather coupling occurs in a global atmospheric electric circuit. Consequently, it has been asssumed the effect is maximised at high latitudes and is negligible at low and mid latitudes, solely because the perturbation is concentrated in the polar regions. They say they have found a previously unrecognised influence on mid latitude surface pressure. In other words, the solar wind impacts with the poles and also influences weather in other parts of the world. It has a planet wide influence on climate – a distinct departure from the IPCC position.

The paper goes on to plot out how they think it all works and how it affects European climate and the break up of Arctic sea ice. It also looks at the trajectory of storm tracks and the configuration of the Atlantic jet stream, and so on (see also http://omnologos.com).

Erl Haspp adds, in a comment, the electrostatic dynamics are also responsible for Sudden Stratospheric Warmings and are a driver of stratospheric ozone content – and ultimately, the driver of surface weather and climate change.

See also Earl Happ and Carl Wolk at http://climatechange1.wordpress.com

Stephen Wilde also pops up in comments – the common view is that there is more ozone with an active Sun and less ozone with a Sun that is quiet. However, druing the late 20th century ozone decrease was observed with what was an active Sun. Since the Sun went quiet, in the present solar cycle, ozone has increased – the reverse of the consensus view.

Solar scientist Leif Svalgaard, on the other hand, says the solar wind keeps all magnetic influence away (which would included electric influences too) on a comment at http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/10/07/september-solar-slump-continues/#c…

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