Mesospheric influences on linkages between solar activity and lower atmospheric phenomena

Abstract

Analyses of rocket data at mid- and high atitude locations over the American Continent show a solar activity-dependent mesospheric heating effect in the 60 to 90 km altitude legion. A study of the altitude dependence of the effect shows that the heating and associated presure propagating downwards through the mesosphere do not cause discernible effects below  the 60 km layer. At Thumba. a significant short-term heating effect attributable to varying solar ultraviolet fluxes causing variable hating of atmospheric ozone is observed. This effect does not seem to propagats downward, into the upper stratosphere.