Solar Magnetic Sector Structure and Terrestrial Atmospheric Vorticity

Abstract

The solar magnetic sector structure has recently been reported to be related to the atmospheric absolute vorticity (Wilcox et al., 1973, 1974). An examination of some of the statistics of this association shows that it may not be as highly significant as had been postulated, and raises serious question of its physical reality. A comparable analysis of the atmospheric relative vorticity shows that it responds in a more consistent fashion to the solar sector structure. The implication of this analysis is that if a physically real association exists, the solar sector structure is more likely to he related to the relative vorticity rather than the absolute vorticity.