Articles | Volume 33, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-207-2015
https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-33-207-2015
Regular paper
 | 
26 Feb 2015
Regular paper |  | 26 Feb 2015

The influence of solar activity on action centres of atmospheric circulation in North Atlantic

L. Sfîcă, M. Voiculescu, and R. Huth

Abstract. We analyse the response of sea level pressure and mid-tropospheric (500 hPa) geopotential heights to variations in solar activity. We concentrate on the Northern Hemisphere and North Atlantic in the period 1948–2012. Composite and correlation analyses point to a strengthening of the North Atlantic Oscillation and weakening (i.e. becoming more zonal) of the Pacific/North American pattern. The locations of points with lowest and highest sea level pressure in the North Atlantic change their positions between low and high solar activity.

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Short summary
A possible link between solar activity and the atmospheric pressure fields is investigated using NCEP/NCAR data at ground level and at 500hPa, in the Northern Hemisphere for the cold season, with a focus on the North Atlantic centres of action. The Icelandic low seems to be most sensitive to the solar signal by moving towards north and by confining its activity area during months with high solar activity.