Science Update: The importance of time-varying forcing for Quasi-Biannial Oscillation modulation of the atmospheric 11-year solar cycle signal

In their JGR article authored by SOLARIS-HEPPA activity leader Katja Matthes and colleagues, the results are presented from multi-decadal sensitivity experiments with time-varying solar cycle and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) forcings.

Multi-decadal simulations using the NCAR’s Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM3.1) were carried out to assess the time-varying forcing of solar variability and the QBO. In the tropical upper stratsphere the annual mean solar response is found to be independent of the presence of the QBO. Only the experiment including both solar and QBO forcing agrees reasonably with observations, indicating that both forcings are necessary to realistically simulating the climate. The QBO is also found to modulate the background zonal mean wind climatology, which in turn modifies the modelled solar signal.

Find the full article here.