Recent Climates

Question 1

Proxy: Ice Cores

Answer 1

snowflakes deposit different forms of water over time
trap atmospheric gasses as compressed over long periods of time

measures: global temperatures, global precipitations, climatic events

Question 2

Precipitation measurement from Ice Cores

Answer 2

ratio of O16/O18 (common/more rare) over time can be correlated with current global temps and precipitation patterns

those two isotopes
O16 lighter so more likely to evaporate
O18 heavier, so more likely to condense

when overall earth climate is really cold, very little O18 makes it to the permanent poles (it rains out on its way)
when climate is warm, much more O16 and O18 make it to the poles (more ice cores)

Question 3

Pollen Data

Answer 3

pollen doesn’t break down, builds up in soil and sediment

can be used to identify what plant species were in that region at that time and how it changed over time

temperature and precipitation

Question 4

Tree Rings

Answer 4

wider rings = more growth, optimal conditions
each ring one season of growth, since today

can get rings from dead trees, just have to figure out with other trees that around and line up some part of their tree rings

Question 5

Coral and Bivalves

Answer 5

Living ones old as 5000
lining up growth ring overlap with dead ones to know even more