Relation between the atmospheric characteristics in the antarctic regions and the space weather factors

Abstract

Considerable variations in the cloud cover level and air temperature, related to the variations in GCRs and IMF, have been revealed based on an analysis of the meteorological and aerological data obtained at Vostok station from 1974 to 1994. It has been found out that the cloud cover at Vostok decreased, on average, by 35% a day after powerful Forbush decreases in GCRs following a considerable increase in the southward IMF component. In the years of solar activity minimum, when the variations in SCRs and GCRs are insignificant, the cloudiness and surface temperature increase on a day of Bz minimum and decrease on a day of maximum as compared to the average level. On days of Bz minimum, the air temperature rises at altitudes of h = 3.5–7 km, remains almost unchanged at an altitude of h = 8 km, and slightly decreases at higher altitudes. An increase in cloudiness at altitudes below 8 km causes warming, probably due to the greenhouse effect, because the temperature of the Earth’s surface decreases.