The solar cycle and stratosphere-troposphere dynamical coupling

Observations and modeling studies support the hypothesis that solar cycle/ozone interactions create temperature and wind anomalies in the tropical upper stratosphere near 1 hPa. During extended winter (October-April), interactions with planetary-scale Rossby waves draw low-latitude stratospheric wind anomalies poleward and downward through the stratosphere. Solar influence on surface climate would likely involve interactions with stratospheric Rossby waves and the coupling of the lower stratospheric circulation to the circulation near Earth's surface. Here we provide an overview of stratosphere-troposphere dynamical coupling. We discuss dynamical mechanisms that might communicate stratospheric circulation anomalies downward to the troposphere and surface.