Solar forcing on antarctic terrestrial climate: A study by means of GPS observations

With a view to difficulties with explaining the physical mechanism of solar forcing on the Earth’s climate, we applied a new approach of determining and quantifying an influence of solar-related events on water vapor variability by correlating the total electron content (TEC) and precipitable water vapor (PWV), both derived from ground-based GPS observations. In this study, ionospheric TEC and atmospheric PWV values are employed as solar activity and terrestrial climate parameters, respectively. Three-year GPS data at five stations in Antarctica are analyzed on a daily mean basis. Results show significant correlation between TEC and PWV differences during storms-affected days. The high correlation between the daily mean values of TEC and PWV, both of which follow the seasonal signals and subsisting downward trend, suggests an influence of solar activity on climate variability in Antarctica. These quantities are determined by changes of the upper-atmosphere level, which varies in conformity with the zenith angle of the Sun.