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Science 1 November 1991:
Vol. 254. no. 5032, pp. 698 - 700
DOI: 10.1126/science.254.5032.698
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Articles

Length of the Solar Cycle: An Indicator of Solar Activity Closely Associated with Climate

E. FRIIS-CHRISTENSEN 1 and K. LASSEN 1

1 Danish Meteorological Institute, Lyngbyvej 100, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø

It has recently been suggested that the solar irradiance has varied in phase with the 80- to 90-year period represented by the envelope of the 11-year sunspot cycle and that this variation is causing a significant part of the changes in the global temperature. This interpretation has been criticized for statistical reasons and because there are no observations that indicate significant changes in the solar irradiance. A set of data that supports the suggestion of a direct influence of solar activity on global climate is the variation of the solar cycle length. This record closely matches the long-term variations of the Northern Hemisphere land air temperature during the past 130 years.

Submitted on May 16, 1991
Accepted on August 6, 1991


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