Space Weather - Solar magnetic variation and its impact on Earth's atmosphere

• Main Author: Boberg, Fredrik
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Lund Observatory, Lund University 2003
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics and Cosmology; klimatologi; kartografi; pedology; Physical geography; marklära; geomorphology; climatology; cartography; space weather - solar magnetism - solar wind - geomagnetic activity- North Atlantic Oscillation - climate change - neural networks- wavelet analysis; Fysisk geografi; geomorfologi; space research; cosmic chemistry; Astronomi; rymdvetenskap; kosmisk kemi; Fysicumarkivet A:2003:Boberg; Boberg; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/465743

A solar magnetic field is continuously being created in the solar interior. As the field evolves outward through the solar atmosphere and into the enveloping heliosphere, it causes effects on a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. By studying and measuring these magnetic effects we gain extensive knowledge about solar magnetism and it also allows us to model and predict how solar activity is influencing the solar-terrestrial environment. This thesis is based on studies of some of these solar magnetic effects, from the solar atmosphere to the Earth's atmosphere. The first part of this thesis is a short description of different aspects in which solar magnetism can influence the solar-terrestrial environment together with a description of the data and the analysing tools used. The first part ends with a summary of the research papers founding this thesis, which are presented in their entirety in the second part of the thesis. Papers I and II present the results of analyses of the mean magnetic field of the Sun and how temporal variations of this mean field can be linked to different solar phenomena. Paper III describes the development of a hybrid neural network model making real-time predictions of solar wind interactions with the Earth's magnetosphere causing geomagnetic activity. Paper IV shows results indicating that the interplanetary magnetic field and the solar wind are affecting a global pressure system in the North Atlantic causing climate changes to the surrounding land masses. This investigation is continued in Paper V with a correlation analysis in the stratosphere and troposphere covering both hemispheres.