Influence of helio/geophysical phenomena on the solar radiation input to the lower atmosphere Original Research Article

Influence of different helio/geophysical factors (solar flares, galactic cosmic ray variations, auroral phenomena) on the solar radiation input to the lower atmosphere has been investigated, the totals of direct plus scattered radiation at the network of ground-based stations of Russia at the latitudes 50–68°N being used. The effects of the phenomena under study were found to strongly depend on the latitude, with the reversal of the correlation sign between the radiation totals and galactic cosmic ray fluxes/flare indices being observed at ø ∼57°N, as well as on the phase of the quasi-biennial oscillations of the atmosphere, with the most pronounced effects being observed in the west phase in the warm period and in the east phase in the cold period. The results obtained seem to provide evidence of the latitudinal dependence of the cloud cover changes related to the phenomena under study which is likely to be due to the circulation disturbances. The changes of the solar radiation input associated with helio/geophysical phenomena may be of significant importance for the physical mechanism of the solar-atmospheric links.