The Open Atmospheric Science Journal
2017, 11 : 44-53Published online 2017 June 30. DOI: 10.2174/1874282301711010044
Publisher ID: TOASCJ-11-44
LETTER
Harmonic Analysis of Worldwide Temperature Proxies for 2000 Years
* Address correspondence to this author at the HTW, University of Applied Sciences, Saarbrücken, Germany, Tel: 0049-6221-781052; E-mail: moluedecke@t-online.de
ABSTRACT
The Sun as climate driver is repeatedly discussed in the literature but proofs are often weak. In order to elucidate the solar influence, we have used a large number of temperature proxies worldwide to construct a global temperature mean G7 over the last 2000 years. The Fourier spectrum of G7 shows the strongest components as ~1000-, ~460-, and ~190 - year periods whereas other cycles of the individual proxies are considerably weaker. The G7 temperature extrema coincide with the Roman, medieval, and present optima as well as the well-known minimum of AD 1450 during the Little Ice Age. We have constructed by reverse Fourier transform a representation of G7 using only these three sine functions, which shows a remarkable Pearson correlation of 0.84 with the 31-year running average of G7. The three cycles are also found dominant in the production rates of the solar-induced cosmogenic nuclides 14C and 10Be, most strongly in the ~190 - year period being known as the De Vries/Suess cycle. By wavelet analysis, a new proof has been provided that at least the ~190-year climate cycle has a solar origin.