On the relationship between global, hemispheric and latitudinal averaged air surface temperature (GISS time series) and solar activity

The air surface temperature is a basic meteorological parameter and its variation is a primary measure of global, regional and local climate changes. In this work, the global, hemispheric and latitudinal averaged air surface temperature time series, obtained from the NASA/Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), and the Sunspot Number (Rz) for the interval 1880–2005, are decomposed in frequency bands through wavelet multi-resolution analysis. We have found a very low correlation between global, hemispheric and latitudinal averaged air surface temperature and Rz in the 11 yr solar cycle band (8–16 years) from ∼1880 to ∼1950. Afterwards the correlation is higher. A very significant correlation (R ∼0.57 to 0.80) is found in the ∼22 yr solar Hale cycle band (16–32 years) with lags from zero to four years between latitudinal averages air surface temperature and Rz. Therefore it seems that the 22 yr magnetic field solar cycle might have a higher effect on Earth's climate than solar variations related to the 11 yr sunspot cycle.

► Relationship between solar activity and air surface temperature was studied.
► Rz and hemispheric and latitudinal air surface temperature series were used.
► The 11 and 22 year solar signals have distinct signatures for different regions.
► It was found that the 22 yr signal may have a higher influence on surface temperature.