Open AccessThe influence of cosmic rays on terrestrial clouds and global warming
Author(s) -
Pallé Bagó E,
Butler C J
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
astronomy & geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.168
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1468-4004
pISSN - 1366-8781
DOI - 10.1046/j.1468-4004.2000.00418.x
Subject(s) - international satellite cloud climatology project , cloud cover , cosmic ray , cloud forcing , environmental science , cloud computing , atmospheric sciences , radiative forcing , global warming , flux (metallurgy) , climatology , cosmic cancer database , meteorology , climate change , physics , astrophysics , geology , computer science , aerosol , oceanography , materials science , metallurgy , operating system
We analyse the new ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) D2 cloud data to ascertain whether or not a connection between cosmic ray flux and cloud cover exists. Despite a previous finding that total cloud factor and cosmic ray fluxes were correlated, our results indicate that only the low-level cloud follows solar activity over the full period, 1983-1994. Using several proxies for solar activity and the radiative forcing calculated by Ockert-Bell (1992) for the ISCCP cloud types, we estimate the possible impact that such a solar-terrestrial connection may have on climate. We conclude that, possibly excluding the most recent decades, much of the warming of the past century can be quantitatively accounted for by the direct and indirect effects of solar activity