Long term solar induced variations in total ozone, stratospheric temperatures and the tropopause Original Research Article

The variations of total ozone, stratospheric temperature and tropopause temperature are presented for the past 3 solar cycles for the summer months of the northern hemisphere. Ground-based, 30-year total column ozone series, filtered from its seasonal, QBO, El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and trend components are found to be correlated to the 11-year solar cycle. Model calculations with a 2D chemical transport model are consistent with the observations. Mean stratospheric temperature variations, between levels 100 and 10 hPa, show also the same variation, correlated with the observed 11-year solar cycle, and the tropopause temperature increases in the same manner, in response to a warmer stratosphere during solar maxima.