Solar Activity and Influenza pandemics

**Authors:** Natela Oghrapishvili*, Darejan Japaridze*, ** and Davit Maghradze* **Affiliations:** *Evgeni Kharadze Georgian National Astrophysical Observatory, Abastumani 0301, Georgia **Center for Computational Helio Studies, Ilia State University, 3/5 Cholokashvili Avenue, 0162, Tbilisi, Georgia. High solar activity significantly impacts social processes and the operation of technological systems, although it can pose risks to human life and health. In this study, we investigated the correlation between solar activity and influenza pandemics. For this analysis, we used Wolff numbers from the Sunspot Analysis Center for the period 1800–2021, along with historical records of influenza pandemics and appearances of large comets. The study found that influenza pandemics generally occur near solar activity maxima, while pandemics during solar activity minima are associated with the close approach of large comets, at distances of less than 0.3 AU from the Sun.