The Solar Signal of the 11-Year Sunspot Cycle in the Stratosphere: Differences between the Northern and Southern Summers

Abstract

The size of the changes of the stratospheric heights and temperatures which can be attributed to the 11-year sunspot cycle (SSC) is discussed with emphasis on the summer seasons. It is pointed out that the signal is strong and consistent during the northern summer, but weak during the southern summer, January/February. During this time of year the northern winters are dynamically very disturbed and the global signal of the SSC is modulated by the QBO.
The study puts earlier work on a firmer ground and gives the community of modellers who simulate the solar signal with GCMs quantitative values for comparison.