Clouds and 7Be: Perusing connections between cosmic rays and climate

Abstract

Time series data on 7Be, precipitation, temperature, and satellite imagery of cloud cover over Scandinavia, together with cosmic ray and sunspot activity, were used to elucidate the relationship between cosmic rays and clouds, and ultimately climate change. The results indicate a coherent negative correlation between total cloud cover and 7Be on intrdseasonal, seasonal, and decadal scales. Although the reasons behind this correlation are unclear, a full-scale implication of this feature is in the possible use of 7Be and 10Be records for proxy paleo-reconstruction of total cloud cover. This is a strongly needed, but generally difficult to quantify parameter in climate models. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union.