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Climate Change in the past.. HELP?
- Thread starter Rebecca K
- Start date
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RichardH
Guest
The globe has warmed for about the last 10-20 thousand years depending on who you read. That was the end of the last ice age! Since then, in fits and spurts the globe has been warming. The "fits and spurts" seem to be due to the amount of radiation the sun sends us and the temperature oscillations of the oceans. For example, the period which ended in the nnineteenth century was known as the little ice age when temperatures were trending downward.
bouncer bobtail
New member
There are different reasons
1 Volcanic activity.
Large volcanoes and supervolcanoes have to effects. Firstly ash from the volcanoes can block out the sun causing the planet to cool.
When Krakatoa erupted there is evidence of cooling and crop failure around the world.
Gasses released by volcanoes contribute to the greenhouse effect causing the planet to warm.
2. Movement of the continents.
When the continents are over the poles they accumulate ice. This ice reflects more sun away from the earth and this causes the earth to cool.
3. Asteroid impacts.
A large enough asteroid would creat enough dust to block out the sun and cool the planet. It may cause major volcanic activity if it strikes a sensitive area
4. Vegetation and other life.
There is a theory that there was an era when plant life took sufficient CO2 out of the atmosphere for a reverse greenhouse effect to have taken place. This supposedly caused the earth to freeze over and become completely encased in ice. The situation inventually being remedied by volcanic activity.
CO2 and methane producing organisms collectively increase the greenhouse effect.
5. The sun's activity
The amount of energy that the earth recieves from the sun is not a constant. There are periods when the sun is very active and very quite.
6. Melting
After an ice age there are occasions when massive amounts of ice break of a continental glacier and effect the earths climate temporarily.
7. Shifting of the earth's axis.
There is evidence that the tilt of the earth in relation to the sun has not been constant. Any change of tilt would impact on climate.
8. Magnetic shift.
It is believed that the magnetic poles flip from time to time. This reversal of polarity would certainly have a dramatic effect on the earth's ecosystems and the geological and climate effect is unknown. Such a dramtic event would have some impact on climate, but it is difficult to say what that would be.
1 Volcanic activity.
Large volcanoes and supervolcanoes have to effects. Firstly ash from the volcanoes can block out the sun causing the planet to cool.
When Krakatoa erupted there is evidence of cooling and crop failure around the world.
Gasses released by volcanoes contribute to the greenhouse effect causing the planet to warm.
2. Movement of the continents.
When the continents are over the poles they accumulate ice. This ice reflects more sun away from the earth and this causes the earth to cool.
3. Asteroid impacts.
A large enough asteroid would creat enough dust to block out the sun and cool the planet. It may cause major volcanic activity if it strikes a sensitive area
4. Vegetation and other life.
There is a theory that there was an era when plant life took sufficient CO2 out of the atmosphere for a reverse greenhouse effect to have taken place. This supposedly caused the earth to freeze over and become completely encased in ice. The situation inventually being remedied by volcanic activity.
CO2 and methane producing organisms collectively increase the greenhouse effect.
5. The sun's activity
The amount of energy that the earth recieves from the sun is not a constant. There are periods when the sun is very active and very quite.
6. Melting
After an ice age there are occasions when massive amounts of ice break of a continental glacier and effect the earths climate temporarily.
7. Shifting of the earth's axis.
There is evidence that the tilt of the earth in relation to the sun has not been constant. Any change of tilt would impact on climate.
8. Magnetic shift.
It is believed that the magnetic poles flip from time to time. This reversal of polarity would certainly have a dramatic effect on the earth's ecosystems and the geological and climate effect is unknown. Such a dramtic event would have some impact on climate, but it is difficult to say what that would be.