On the correlation between air temperature and the core Earth processes: Further investigations using a continuous wavelet analysis

Abstract

In a recent article by Dickey, J. O., Marcus, S.L. and O. de Viron, 2011, the authors show evidences for correlations in the multi-decadal variability of Earth's rotation rate [i.e., length of day (LOD)], the angular momentum of the core (CAM), and natural surface air temperature (SAT). Previous investigators have already found that the LOD fluctuations are largely attributed to core-mantle interactions and that the SAT appears strongly anti-correlated with the decadal LOD. As the above authors note, the cause of this common variability needs to be further investigated and studied. In fact, "since temperature cannot affect the CAM or LOD to a sufficient extent, the results favor either a direct effect of Earth's core-generated magnetic field (e.g., through the modulation of charged-particle fluxes, which may impact cloud formation) or a more indirect effect of some other core process on the climate-or yet another process that affects both". The main aim of the present research note is to further support the above results, using a proper continuous wavelet analysis, and to evidence some early detected time-period relations existing between LOD and SAT data.