Investigating a solar activity effect on cloud cover over Baghdad city

Abstract

AbstractCloud cover is an important factor controlling the way that radiation is absorbed and reflected by theearth. Increases in cloudiness enhance global albedo, thus tending to cool the surface and the effecton earth's radiation characteristics and the climate in general, thus tending to global warming andclimate changes.In this work, is an attempt to investigate and understand the impact of solar activity on cloud coveramount over Baghdad city in 1983-2009 by analyzing the monthly values of cloud cover amount(low, mid-level, high and total), galactic cosmic rays, and the solar Modulation potential in1983−2009, and use package Climate Data Operators for this purpose.The first object of this study was to determine the solar activity index (the Solar ModulationPotential SMP) instead of (galactic cosmic rays GCR), SMP was selected as an indicator of solaractivity with a correlation coefficient (0.8) with GCR. The second object of our study was toinvestigate the relationship between the solar modulation potential (solar activity index) and cloudcover amount over Baghdad city for the period 1983−2009. The results showed that there is arelationship between the solar modulation potential and cloud cover amount for the period of studywith the highest coefficient of correlation was (R= -0.71 ± 0.22) between total cloud cover amountand SMP, and the lowest correlation coefficient was (R= -0.36 ± 0.34) for the high cloud coveramount with SMP. Therefore, we can assume that the solar activity has an impact on the cloud coveramount over Baghdad city.