Previous: Quasibiennial oscillations in North-South solar asymmetry Next: References Up: Ext. Abst.

Conclusions

1. The quasibiennial oscillations in both sunspot numbers and stratospheric winds have variable durations which in different periods may or may not coincide. Therefore, it is not probable that the solar quasibiennial oscillations are an indicator for the quasibiennial oscillations in stratospheric winds. A more probable indicator are the quasibiennial oscillations in North-South solar activity asymmetry.

2. When the data is stratified according to the phase of the stratospheric winds QBO, strong correlations can be found between solar activity and surface air temperature for individual locations. No such correlations are found for hemispheric averages. For zonal averages, in the west QBO phase the temperature at low latitudes is in phase with solar activity from May to July and from October to December. On the contrary, in the east QBO phase the effect can be seen at high latitudes from December to April, the correlation being negative and less stable.

3. The sign of the correlation between solar activity and surface air temperature changes in consecutive secular solar cycles and seems ruled by the North-South solar asymmetry. The phase of the stratospheric winds QBO does not determine the sign of the correlation, but rather enhances or suppresses this influence.