The Sun and Climate (USGS Fact Sheet)
First published: 2000
Brief summary
USGS overview of solar-climate cycles derived from radiocarbon (14C) tree-ring records: the 11-yr Schwabe, 22-yr Hale, 88-yr Gleissberg, ~200-yr Suess, and ~2000-yr Hallstadtzeit cycles.
Article
The Sun and Climate (USGS Fact Sheet) is a government fact sheet published by USGS in 2000. It focuses on USGS overview of solar-climate cycles derived from radiocarbon (14C) tree-ring records: the 11-yr Schwabe, 22-yr Hale, 88-yr Gleissberg, ~200-yr Suess, and ~2000-yr Hallstadtzeit cycles.
The analysis focuses on 11, 22, 88, ~200, ~2000 years. The study includes spectral analysis figure of radiocarbon (delta-14C) record spanning 10,000 years. The data source is tree-ring radiocarbon. This gives the cycle claim a specific numerical and evidential setting rather than presenting periodicity only as a visual impression.
The article reports the following result: Residual values show distinct cycles with periods of about 2,000 years. When a spectral analysis is performed on the delta-14C record, a number of peaks appear at about 2,000, 200, and 88 years; the 88-year cycle is called the Gleissberg cycle. The interpretation is strongest when it survives proxy uncertainty, model choice, dating error and comparison with established solar, orbital and ocean-atmosphere forcing.
For cycles researchers, the article brings together solar-climate cycles, radiocarbon records, schwabe cycle, gleissberg cycle. It is relevant to climate-cycle research because observed periodicities may arise from orbital forcing, solar variability, ocean-atmosphere dynamics or internal stochastic behaviour.
The source is useful for the Climate & Weather forum as an entry point into the topic. Its claims should be weighed against the quality of the data, the statistical test used, possible confounding factors and the availability of independent replication.
Source details and credits
- Source / publisher: USGS
- Source type: Government fact sheet
- URL type: PDF
- Credits: USGS
- URL: