Periods of planetary waves, especially the 10- and 16-day waves, were
found in Fourier analyses of 10-year geomagnetic time series from two
mid-latitude stations in the northern hemisphere. This suggests that p
lanetary waves influence geomagnetic variations. Cross-spectral analys
is of magnetic time series from seven stations located at around 50 de
grees N at the beginning of 1979, when a 16-day wave occurred in the s
tratosphere, also shows a 16-day oscillation. However, study of the ph
ases does not reveal the horizontal direction of wave propagation. Fur
thermore, the temporal variations of the 16-day oscillation in magneti
c time series are presented as dynamic spectra and the results are com
pared with global investigations of geopotential height data at 1 hPa
(around 48 km) with respect to the 16-day wave for the same time inter
val. In some cases this comparison suggests a clear correlation betwee
n geomagnetic variations and planetary waves as well as a propagation
of the 16-day wave up to the dynamo region (100-170 km).