Long Term Variations in the Length of Day and Climatic Change

Abstract

Summary The long-period (greater than about 10 yr) variations in the length-of-day (LOD) observed since 1820 show a marked similarity with variations observed in various climatic indices; periods of acceleration of the Earth corresponding to years of increasing intensity of the zonal circulation and to global-surface warming: periods of deceleration corresponding to years of decreasing zonal-circulation intensity and to a global decrease in surface temperatures. The long-period atmospheric excitation functions for near-surface geostrophic winds, for changes in the atmospheric mass distribution and for eustatic variations in sea level have been evaluated and correlate well with the observed changes in the LOD; although their total effect represents only about 10 per cent of the required excitation. The computed excitation lags the LOD variations by about 10-15 yr. Upper atmospheric winds or other meteorological related factors appear to be quite inadequate to provide the additional driving force that is required if the LOD changes are of meteorological origin. Instead, it appears that the LOD fluctuations and the climatic variations on a time scale of 20-30 yr may have a common origin as has been suggested by Anderson. That is, the results suggest that indirect solid Earth effects on climate may be important.