Solar cycle and equatorial stratopause temperature

Variations in a solar activity and their effect if any on the temperature of the stratopause are studied. Monthly mean stratopause temperatures during 1969–1976 and departures from the monthly mean value of eight-year period, determined for four equatorial rocket launching stations,viz. Ascension Island, Kwajalem, Fort Sherman and Thumba, are statistically compared with sunspot number departures. To study the effects of seasonal variation on stratopause temperature, the data have been divided into winter, summer and equinoctial periods. Seasonwise study indicates that the correlation between the stratopause temperature and sunspot number is positive and just below the significant level for Thumba and positive and highly significant over all the other stations with a better relationship in equinoctial periods than in both winter and summer. The estimated regression coefficients are positive and significant.