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This thesis provides highlights of the atmospheric research conducted during the program of studies 2003-07. The theme is variability of the winds at mesospheric heights (60-100 km) due to Planetary Waves (PW, 2-30 days) over middle and high latitudes. Considerable energy and momentum are transported by atmospheric waves, and their global characteristics are required to understand many phenomena and explain coupling processes within the atmosphere. The vertical propagation of PW from the upper troposphere to the mesosphere is investigated by applying the Morlet wavelet and wave number analysis to the MetO (United Kingdom Meteorological Office) stratospheric assimilated fields, TOMS total (column) ozone, and Medium Frequency (MFR) and Meteor Wind (MWR) radar measurements. The results show that large-scale eastward propagating PW dominate at tropopause and low stratospheric heights, while westward PW become comparable or even stronger in the upper stratosphere and above during months other than summer. There are also strong seasonal dependences of the PW activity in each of the stratospheric and mesospheric regions, which are attributed, at least partially, to the influence of the background wind on PW propagation. Longitudinal variations in PW activity are explained by longitudinal variations in these winds.<p>During summer (westward zonal winds) PW activity is reduced in the stratosphere and only relatively fast westward propagating PW, such as quasi 2-day wave (Q2DW), are able to reach mesospheric heights from below. The results obtained using 14 years of MFR data at Saskatoon provide a unique climatology (70-100 km) of this wave: in addition to summer activity the Q2DW is also present at low mesospheric heights in winter, especially when the eastward winds are weak; there are significant interannual variations in Q2DW activity in both seasons. Strong latitudinal and longitudinal differences in Q2DW occurrence and amplitude are shown from the comparisons of wind data at several stations.<p>During winter, when zonal winds are eastward, the PW coupling between stratosphere and mesosphere is stronger than during other seasons. Detailed data analysis has been performed for the Arctic winter of 2004/05, for which the stratospheric state is described using conventional zonal mean parameters as well as the newer Q-diagnostic. Spectral analyses for this winter show relatively weak PW activity at stratospheric and mesospheric heights and strong latitudinal and longitudinal differences of mean winds and PW characteristics consistent with the form and location of the polar vortex. <p>In addition to the vertical coupling it has also been shown that weaker horizontal inter-hemispheric coupling occurs during equinoctial months, when eastward winds dominate globally. It is demonstrated that with favorable conditions, planetary waves with 10, 16 and 25 day periods penetrate to the opposite hemisphere.

This thesis provides highlights of the atmospheric research conducted during the program of studies 2003-07. The theme is variability of the winds at mesospheric heights (60-100 km) due to Planetary Waves (PW, 2-30 days) over middle and high latitudes. Considerable energy and momentum are transported by atmospheric waves, and their global characteristics are required to understand many phenomena and explain coupling processes within the atmosphere. The vertical propagation of PW from the upper troposphere to the mesosphere is investigated by applying the Morlet wavelet and wave number analysis to the MetO (United Kingdom Meteorological Office) stratospheric assimilated fields, TOMS total (column) ozone, and Medium Frequency (MFR) and Meteor Wind (MWR) radar measurements. The results show that large-scale eastward propagating PW dominate at tropopause and low stratospheric heights, while westward PW become comparable or even stronger in the upper stratosphere and above during months other than summer. There are also strong seasonal dependences of the PW activity in each of the stratospheric and mesospheric regions, which are attributed, at least partially, to the influence of the background wind on PW propagation. Longitudinal variations in PW activity are explained by longitudinal variations in these winds.<p>During summer (westward zonal winds) PW activity is reduced in the stratosphere and only relatively fast westward propagating PW, such as quasi 2-day wave (Q2DW), are able to reach mesospheric heights from below. The results obtained using 14 years of MFR data at Saskatoon provide a unique climatology (70-100 km) of this wave: in addition to summer activity the Q2DW is also present at low mesospheric heights in winter, especially when the eastward winds are weak; there are significant interannual variations in Q2DW activity in both seasons. Strong latitudinal and longitudinal differences in Q2DW occurrence and amplitude are shown from the comparisons of wind data at several stations.<p>During winter, when zonal winds are eastward, the PW coupling between stratosphere and mesosphere is stronger than during other seasons. Detailed data analysis has been performed for the Arctic winter of 2004/05, for which the stratospheric state is described using conventional zonal mean parameters as well as the newer Q-diagnostic. Spectral analyses for this winter show relatively weak PW activity at stratospheric and mesospheric heights and strong latitudinal and longitudinal differences of mean winds and PW characteristics consistent with the form and location of the polar vortex. <p>In addition to the vertical coupling it has also been shown that weaker horizontal inter-hemispheric coupling occurs during equinoctial months, when eastward winds dominate globally. It is demonstrated that with favorable conditions, planetary waves with 10, 16 and 25 day periods penetrate to the opposite hemisphere.

Submitted by Jean Medeiros (jeanletras@uepb.edu.br) on 2017-07-24T16:06:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Tarsus Klynger Sabino dos Santos.pdf: 20465997 bytes, checksum: d345b9827a4b8cb379191f40579bff42 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-24T16:06:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Tarsus Klynger Sabino dos Santos.pdf: 20465997 bytes, checksum: d345b9827a4b8cb379191f40579bff42 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / The lunar atmospheric tide is characterized by significant changes that occur mainly in wind fields, temperature of the terrestrial atmosphere produced by the direct influence of the moon on the bodies present on this surface. Using twelve years of data acquired from the instrument SABER / TIMED is possible to identify results of lunar tidal amplification especially during the winter in the northern hemisphere. It is also known that especially in the winter season of the Arctic polar region is the phenomenon called stratospheric sudden warming (Sudden Stratospheric Warming), which corroborates in significant changes in atmospheric dynamics during its occurrence. Some studies have shown the connection between intense events of abrupt warming of the polar stratosphere of the northern hemisphere with the lunar atmospheric tide. Knowing these conditions, the aim of this study was to investigate possible effects produced by the abrupt warming of the polar stratosphere in atmospheric lunar semidiurnal tide in mesospheric region and lower thermosphere (MLT). In this sense, data temperatures estimated from measurements obtained with the instrument SABER / TIMED were analyzed along with data from the polar stratosphere, provided by the National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Analyzing the results, it was found that during the occurrence period of the lunar atmospheric tide abrupt heating of the polar stratosphere, contributed in some cases and may contribute to a higher and a lower amplification lunar semidiurnal tide in the atmosphere compared to studies analyzing effects of lunar semidiurnal tide without taking into account the influence of stratospheric warming / A maré atmosférica lunar caracteriza-se em significativas mudanças que ocorrem principalmente nos campos de vento, temperatura da atmosfera terrestres produzida pela influência direta da Lua sobre os corpos presentes nesta superfície. Utilizando doze anos de dados adquiridos do instrumento SABER/TIMED é possível identificar resultados da amplificação de maré lunar principalmente durante o inverno no hemisfério norte . Sabe-se também que principalmente na estação de inverno da região polar ártica ocorre o fenômeno denominado aquecimento estratosférico súbito (Sudden Stratospheric Warming), o qual corrobora em expressivas mudanças na dinâmica atmosférica durante sua ocorrência. Alguns estudos evidenciaram conexão entre os eventos intensos de aquecimento abrupto da estratosfera polar do hemisfério norte com a maré atmosférica lunar. Sabendo destas condições, o objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar possíveis efeitos produzidos pelo aquecimento abrupto da estratosfera polar na maré atmosférica semidiurna lunar na região Mesosférica e baixa Termosfera (MLT). Neste sentido, dados de temperaturas estimadas a partir de medidas obtidas com o instrumento SABER/TIMED foram analisados juntamente com dados da estratosfera polar, fornecidos pelo National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Analisados os resultados, verificou-se que durante o período de ocorrência da maré atmosférica lunar, os aquecimentos abruptos da estratosfera polar, contribuíram em alguns casos, corroborando para uma maior e menor amplificação da maré semidiurna lunar na atmosfera quando comparado com estudos que analisaram os efeitos da maré semidiurna lunar sem levar em conta a influência do aquecimento estratosférico.

Submitted by Jean Medeiros (jeanletras@uepb.edu.br) on 2017-07-27T11:59:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Chayenne Edna da Silva Rodrigues.pdf: 17429390 bytes, checksum: 0bdef27d89dbb3d103280bf8a69a7fd2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-27T11:59:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PDF - Chayenne Edna da Silva Rodrigues.pdf: 17429390 bytes, checksum: 0bdef27d89dbb3d103280bf8a69a7fd2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In this study, the winds obtained by meteor radar at São João do Cariri (7.4 S, 35 W) during 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 years, and at Cachoeira Paulista (22.7 S, 45.0 W) during 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008, have been used to characterize the dynamics of the mesosphere region over the two sites during the sudden stratospheric warming events on polar stratosphere in the Northern Hemisphere. The wind measurements were subjected to a wavelet spectrum analysis to identify a presence of periodic oscillations. Wave amplitudes were obtained through harmonic analysis by least squares fitting and the 2-day wave momentum fluxes have been estimated from the wind perturbations. The values of the 2-day wave amplitudes and the respective zonal momentum fluxes observed over C. Paulista were higher in the 2003, 2004 and 2006 summers, and over S. J. do Cariri in 2006 summer, when events of SSW Major have occurred. The mean wind behavior it is indicative that the MLT region, during the summer, have been affected by 2-day wave, however, it was not possible to identify pattern associated with the effects of the SSW events on dynamic behavior of the MLT region over two sites. From analyzes, the 2-day wave intensification and their momentum fluxes during years in which SSWs were major, provide additional evidence to stratospheric jet instabilities, which is the main 2-day wave source mechanism in the summer hemisphere. / Nesta pesquisa, estimativas do campo de velocidade dos ventos obtidas por radar meteórico em São João do Cariri (7,4 S, 35 O), durante os anos de 2005, 2006, 2007 e 2008, e em Cachoeira Paulista (22,7 S, 45,0 O), durante os anos de 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 e 2008, foram usadas para caracterizar a dinâmica da região da mesosfera sobre ambas as localidades durante eventos de aquecimento abrupto da estratosfera polar do hemisfério norte. As medidas de vento foram submetidas a análise de espectro de ondaletas para identificar a presença de oscilações periódicas. As amplitudes da s ondas foram obtidas através análise harmônica por ajuste de mínimos quadrados e os fluxos de momentum da onda de 2 dias foram estimados a partir das perturbações. Os valores das amplitudes da onda de 2 dias e dos respectivos fluxos de momentum zonais observados em C. Paulista foram maiores nos verões de 2003, 2004 e 2006, e em S. J. do Cariri em 2006, quando ocorreram eventos de SSW fortes. O comportamento do vento médio demostra que a dinâmica da região MLT durante o verão é impactada pela onda de 2 dias, contudo, não foi possível identificar padrão associado a efeitos dos eventos de SSW com o comportamento dinâmico da região MLT sobre as duas localidades, a partir dessas análises. A intensificação da onda de 2 dias e dos fluxos de momentum durante os anos em que ocorreram SSW fortes fornecem indícios de forçamento adicional para instabilidade do jato estratosférico, que é o principal mecanismo de excitação da onda no hemisfério de verão.

Gravity wave (GW) breaking and associated GW drag is not uniformly distributed among latitudes and longitudes. In particular, regions of enhanced GW breaking, so-called GW hotspots, have been identified, major Northern Hemisphere examples being located above the Rocky Mountains, the Himalayas and the East Asian region. These hotspots influence the middle atmosphere circulation both individually and in combination. Their interference is here examined by performing simulations including (i) the respective single GW hotspots, (ii) two GW hotspots, and (iii) all three GW hotspots with a simplified global circulation model. The combined GW hotspots lead to a modification of the polar vortex in connection with a zonal mean flow decrease and an increase of the temperature at higher latitudes. The different combinations of GW hotspots mainly prevent the stationary planetary wave (SPW) 1 from propagating upward at midlatitudes leading to a decrease in energy and momentum transfer in the middle atmosphere caused by breaking SPW 1, and in turn to an acceleration of the zonal mean flow at lower latitudes. In contrast, the GW hotspot above the Rocky Mountains alone causes an increase in SPW 1 amplitude and Eliassen–Palm flux (EP flux), inducing enhanced negative EP divergence, decelerating the zonal mean flow at higher latitudes. Consequently, none of the combinations of different GW hotspots is comparable to the impact of the Rocky Mountains GW hotspot alone. The reason is that the GW hotspots mostly interfere nonlinearly. Depending on the longitudinal distance between two GW hotspots, the interference between the combined Rocky Mountains and East Asian GW hotspots is more additive than the interference between the combined Rocky Mountains and Himalaya GW hotspots. While the Rocky Mountains and the East Asian GW hotspots are longitudinally displaced by 105°, the Rocky Mountains are shifted by 170° to the Himalayas. Moreover, while the East Asian and the Himalayas are located side by side, the interference between these GW hotspots is the most nonlinear because they are latitudinally displaced by 20°. In general, the SPW activity, e.g., represented in SPW amplitudes, EP flux or Plumb flux, is strongly reduced, when the GW hotspots are interacting with each other. Thus, the interfering GW hotspots mostly have a destructive effect on SPW propagation and generation.

This dissertation comprises multiple studies surrounding the middle atmosphere's chemistry, composition, and dynamics. The middle atmosphere refers to the region from ~ 10 km to ~ 100 km and consists of the Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Lower Thermosphere. The Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere are bounded by pauses where the strongest changes in chemical composition, movement, density, and thermal behavior take place. While several studies in the past have investigated the chemical composition of the middle atmosphere and quantified the distribution of various species from the stratosphere to the lower thermosphere, seasonal variations and redistribution of species resulting from transport events make it important to continuously monitor the middle atmosphere. Dynamic events such as Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSW) impact the temperature gradient and the zonal mean wind pattern in the stratopause. Descent events triggered by SSWs result in enhanced transport of species from the lower thermosphere to the stratosphere. Temperature increments during SSWs have an important impact on Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs), resulting in Antarctic ozone enhancement and a smaller ozone hole. The middle atmosphere is, thus, home to a diverse range of dynamics and chemistry, making it a critical subject that warrants attention from the science community. The continuous monitoring of the middle atmosphere is important to this end. Several satellite missions in the past have been dedicated to monitoring the middle atmosphere and collecting data for decades. However, continual revisions and revaluations of measurement approaches and the introduction of novel space instruments are necessary to compensate for the limitations associated with existing missions, expand the extant specimen database, and improve phenomenon-centric observations. The Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE) is one of the two instruments on the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) spacecraft. The studies presented in this dissertation primarily focus on the use of SOFIE observations combined with results from other science missions, an atmospheric model, and other datasets. Chapter I is an overview of the research goals and the motivations that propelled this research. In Chapter II, a validation study of the Version 1.3 SOFIE ozone data against the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) and the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) ozone data is presented. The SOFIE-ACE and SOFIE-MIPAS data pairs demonstrate similar variability in the ozone vertical profile. SOFIE vertical ozone profiles agree best with ACE from 30 - 70 km and MIPAS from 30-64 km. The mean difference values averaged over all seasons and both hemispheres are typically < 24% with ACE and < 20 % with MIPAS. Atomic oxygen is an important species in the mesopause region (~ 80 – 100 km) that impacts the region's ozone photochemistry and radiative balance. In Chapter III, SOFIE ozone measurements used to derive daytime atomic oxygen are compared to coincident retrievals from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument and the Naval Research Laboratory Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter radar (NRLMSIS 2.0) model. The datasets agree qualitatively. Results indicate a strong seasonal variation of atomic oxygen with summer and wintertime maxima at ~ 84 km and 94 km, respectively. The middle atmospheric composition is redistributed by the transport of species during SSWs. In Chapter IV, the 2019 SSW in the northern hemisphere that triggered a large transport event from the lower thermosphere to the stratosphere is evaluated using SOFIE, ACE, and the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA-2) observations. The event was similar to the major SSW-triggered descent events in the northern hemisphere since 2004 and led to the enhancement of nitric oxide produced by Energetic Particle Precipitation, attributed to unusual meteorology. The transport peak descended by ~ 5-6 km every 10 days. An SSW event occurred in the southern hemisphere in 2019 and led to enhanced ozone in the stratosphere. In Chapter V, satellite instruments, ground station data, and measurements from NASA Ozone Watch are used to conclude that large temperature increments evaporated PSCs, resulting in the lower conversion of halogen reservoir species into ozone-destroying forms. Thus, a large ozone enhancement was recorded in 2019. Chapter VI concludes all findings and Chapter VII summarizes future work. / Doctor of Philosophy / The middle atmosphere is the region between ~ 10 and 100 km in the atmosphere and is comprised of the Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Lower Thermosphere. The middle atmosphere is a dynamic region, and the chemistry of this region is subject to variations occurring naturally or those triggered by anomalous events such as Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSW). Several species in the middle atmosphere need to be measured continuously or reevaluated for improved understanding. Dynamical events in the middle atmosphere are responsible for transporting and redistributing species in the middle atmosphere. Thus, the continuous monitoring of the middle atmosphere is necessary. Novel approaches with improved techniques and approaches are thus important to explore the middle atmosphere and quantify the chemistry of the region. The Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment (SOFIE) instrument is an instrument onboard the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) spacecraft. SOFIE typically measures at high latitudes and looks at a wide range of wavelengths. This dissertation uses SOFIE and other datasets to evaluate the varying chemistry and dynamics of the middle atmosphere. The dissertation addresses four research problems and assimilates them to evaluate the middle atmosphere. Ozone is an important species in the middle atmosphere, which is present in the highest quantity in the stratosphere, followed by the lower thermosphere (~ 85 – 100 km). Ozone is important as it absorbs ultraviolet radiations and impacts the stratospheric radiative balance. Missions in the past have monitored ozone in the middle atmosphere. Novel approaches and improved observation techniques to compensate for the limitations of past missions and the continuous measurement of ozone are necessary. Thus, ozone retrievals from SOFIE are validated against independent and established datasets to demonstrate the robustness and usability of the SOFIE ozone data product within the atmospheric science community. Atomic oxygen is an important species in the mesopause region (~ 80 – 100 km) because of its role in ozone photochemistry and impact on the radiative balance of the region. It is technologically challenging to make direct measurements of atomic oxygen; thus, most conventionally, derived measurements and model results are used. To this date, atomic oxygen has been understood in a limited capacity with several inaccuracies. To improve the understanding of atomic oxygen and fill the current knowledge gaps, atomic oxygen is derived from SOFIE ozone measurements during the daytime using the Chapman equations for ozone photochemistry. Further, the derived atomic oxygen is compared to other established datasets from satellite instrument-derived measurements and model predictions. The seasonal variability of atomic oxygen is evaluated with a focus on the difference in its behavior during summer and winter. Lastly, inter-hemispheric differences in atomic oxygen distribution are evaluated. Apart from the natural atmospheric variation in species, SSW-triggered transport events redistribute species in the atmosphere. The 2019 SSW event in the northern hemisphere was similar to those in 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2013. Large quantities of nitric oxide were transported from the lower thermosphere to the stratosphere. Air poor in water vapor and methane was also transported. Atomic oxygen was transported from the lower thermosphere to several kilometers below in amounts higher than usual. The increased nitric oxide concentration in the stratosphere due to the transport catalytically destroyed the ozone in the region. The vertical transport rates were calculated to understand the speed of the descent. The low geomagnetic index in 2019, like in all years besides 2004, indicates that these events are attributed to unusual meteorology. An SSW event took place in the southern hemisphere in 2019 during the Antarctic winter. This led to a large increase in temperature, which evaporated the Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs). PSCs provide their surface for converting halogen reservoir species into ozone-destroying reactive forms. The absence of PSCs during and immediately after the SSW event led to a lower conversion of halogen reservoir species into reactive forms. Satellite instrument measurements agree with theoretical expectations. The 2002 SSW in the SH led to similar outcomes and are compared to the 2019 event. Large enhancements in ozone in 2019 led to the smallest ozone hole since ~ 1982.

Arctic geoengineering wherein sunlight absorption is reduced only in the Arctic has been suggested as a remedial measure to counteract the on-going rapid climate change in the Arctic. Several modelling studies have shown that Arctic geoengineering can minimize Arctic warming but will shift the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) southward, unless offset by comparable geoengineering in the Southern Hemisphere. In this study, we investigate and quantify the implications of this ITCZ shift due to Arctic geoengineering for the global monsoon regions using the Community Atmosphere Model version 4 coupled to a slab ocean model. A doubling of CO2 from pre-industrial levels leads to a warming of ~ 6 K in the Arctic region and precipitation in the monsoon regions increases by up to ~15 %. In our Arctic geoengineering simulation which illustrates a plausible latitudinal distribution of the reduction in sunlight, an addition of sulfate aerosols (11 Mt) in the Arctic stratosphere nearly offsets the Arctic warming due to CO2 doubling but this shifts the ITCZ southward by ~1.5⁰ relative to the pre-industrial climate. The combined effect from this shift and the residual CO2-induced climate change in the tropics is a decrease/increase in annual mean precipitation in the Northern Hemisphere /Southern Hemisphere monsoon regions by up to -12/+17%. Polar geoengineering where sulfate aerosols are prescribed in both the Arctic (10 Mt) and Antarctic (8 Mt) nearly offsets the ITCZ shift due to Arctic geoengineering, but there is still a residual precipitation increase (up to 7 %) in most monsoon regions associated with the residual CO2 induced warming in the tropics. The ITCZ shift due to our Global geoengineering simulation, where aerosols (20 Mt) are prescribed uniformly around the globe, is much smaller and the precipitation changes in most monsoon regions are within ±2 % as the residual CO2-induced warming in the tropics is also much less than in Arctic and Polar geoengineering. Further, global geoengineering nearly offsets the Arctic warming. Based on our results we infer that Arctic geoengineering leads to ITCZ shift and leaves residual CO2 induced warming in the tropics resulting in substantial precipitation changes in the monsoon regions.

The climatic effects of Solar Radiation Management (SRM) geoengineering have been often modeled by simply reducing the solar constant. This is most likely valid only for space sunshades and not for atmosphere and surface based SRM methods. In this thesis, a global climate model is used to test if the climate response to SRM by stratospheric aerosols and uniform solar constant reduction are similar. Our analysis shows that when global mean warming from a doubling of CO2 is nearly cancelled by both these methods, they are similar when important surface and tropospheric climate variables are considered. However, a difference of 1K in the global mean stratospheric (61-9.8 hPa) temperature is simulated between the two SRM methods. Further, while the global mean surface diffuse radiation increases by about 15- 20% and direct radiation decreases by about 8% in the case of sulphate aerosol SRM method, both direct and diffuse radiation decrease by similar fractional amounts (~ -1.5%) when solar constant is reduced. When CO2 fertilization effects from elevated CO2 concentration levels are removed, the contribution from shaded leaves to gross primary productivity (GPP) increases by 6 % in aerosol SRM because of increased diffuse light. However, this increase is almost offset by a 7% decline in sunlit contribution due to reduced direct light. Overall both the SRM simulations show similar decrease in GPP (~ 1%) and NPP (~ 0.7%). Based on our results we conclude that the climate states produced by a reduction in solar constant and addition of aerosols into the stratosphere can be considered almost similar except for two important aspects: stratospheric temperature change and the consequent implications for the dynamics and the chemistry of the stratosphere and the partitioning of direct versus diffuse radiation reaching the surface. Further, the likely dependence of global hydrological cycle response on aerosol particle size and the latitudinal and height distribution of aerosols is discussed.

Abstract This thesis studies the long-term relation between the solar wind driven energetic particle forcing into the atmosphere and the tropospheric circulation in the Northern Hemisphere winter. The work covers the period of more than one hundred years since the turn of the 20th century to present. The thesis makes a statistical analysis of satellite measurements of precipitating energetic electrons, sunspot number data and geomagnetic activity, and compares them with temperature and pressure measurements made at the Earth's surface. Recent results, both observational and from chemistry climate models, have indicated significant effects in the Earth's middle atmosphere due to the energetic electrons precipitating from the magnetosphere. These effects include the formation of reactive hydrogen and nitrogen oxides in the high latitude mesosphere and the depletion of ozone caused by them. Ozone is a radiatively active and important gas, which affects the thermal structure and dynamics of the middle atmosphere. Accordingly, the depletion of ozone can intensify the large scale stratospheric circulation pattern called the polar vortex. Winter weather conditions on the surface have been shown to be dependent on the polar vortex strength. This thesis shows that there is a significant relation between the average fluxes of medium energy (ten to hundred keVs) precipitating electrons and surface temperatures in parts of the Northern Hemisphere in winter time. Temperatures are positively correlated with electron fluxes in North Eurasia and negatively correlated in Greenland during the period 1980-2010 which is covered by direct satellite observations of precipitating particles. This difference is especially notable when major sudden stratospheric warmings and the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO), which both are known to affect the polar vortex strength, are taken into account. When extended to the late 19th century, the analysis shows that a similar temperature pattern is predominated during the declining phase of the sunspot cycle. The high speed solar wind streams and energetic particle precipitation typically maximize also at the declining phase of the solar cycle. This specific temperature pattern is related to the variability of the northern annular mode (NAM), which is the most significant circulation pattern in the Northern Hemisphere winter. Before the space era, geomagnetic activity measured by ground observations can be used as a proxy for energetic particle precipitation. Earlier studies have found a significant positive correlation between geomagnetic activity and NAM since the 1960s. We find that, when the QBO measured at 30 hPa height is in the easterly phase, a positive correlation is extended to the beginning of 1900s. We also show that high geomagnetic activity causes a stronger effect in the Northern Hemisphere winter than high sunspot activity, especially in the Atlantic and Eurasia. A comprehensive knowledge of the Earth's climate system and all its drivers is crucial for the future projection of climate. Solar variability effects have been estimated to produce only a small factor to the global climate change. However, there is increasing evidence, including the results presented in this thesis, that the different forms of solar variability can have a substantial effect to regional and seasonal climate variability. With this new evidence, the solar wind related particle effects in the atmosphere are now gaining increasing attention. These effects will soon be included in the next coupled model inter comparison project (CMIP6) as an additional solar related climate effect. This emphasizes the relevance of this thesis.