paleoclimates
Prehistoric atmospheric conditions
Paleoclimates are the climates of past geological periods, reconstructed from evidence like ice cores, tree rings, fossil pollen, and ocean sediments.
Scientists study paleoclimates to understand long-term climate patterns and how Earth's atmosphere has changed over millions of years: Paleoclimates reveal that carbon dioxide levels and global temperatures have risen and fallen together.
The singular paleoclimate refers to the climate of a specific past era.
Floral reproductive grains
- diatomsSingle-celled silica algae
- dendrochronologyDating via growth rings
- biomarkersMeasurable disease indicators
- oxygen-18Heavier oxygen isotope
deuterium · loess · corals · tree-rings · isotopes · stalactites · boreholes · gastropods
Study of rock layers
- sedimentologyStudy of geological deposits
- geochronologyStudy of geological ages
- paleoecologyStudy of prehistoric ecosystems
- geochemistryEarth's chemical makeup science
carbon-14 · modeling · reconstructions · spectroscopy · calibration · resolution · archives · datasets
Ancient glacial geological period
- HoloceneCurrent geological epoch
- PaleoceneEarliest Cenozoic epoch
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- JurassicDinosaur-dominated geological period
Triassic · Permian · Carboniferous · Miocene · Pliocene · Devonian · Ordovician · Cambrian
Simplest alkane fuel
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- precipitationAtmospheric water deposit
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- monsoonsSeasonal wind-driven rains
circulation · trade-winds · thermohaline · upwelling · insolation · volcanism · aerosols · dust
Ice sheet spreading process
- morainesGlacial sediment accumulations
- permafrostPerpetually frozen earth layer
- cryosphereEarth's frozen water systems
- albedoSurface reflection coefficient
firn · ablation · accumulation · sea-level · meltwater · erratics · drumlins · eskers
Species over 44 kilograms
- mammothExtinct elephant with curved tusks
- mastodonExtinct elephantine Pleistocene mammal
- vegetationPlant life collectively
- forestsDensely treed land areas
grasslands · tundra · savanna · biomes · migrations · extinctions · adaptations · plankton
pollen
Floral reproductive grains
- diatomsSingle-celled silica algae
- dendrochronologyDating via growth rings
- biomarkersMeasurable disease indicators
oxygen-18 · deuterium · loess · corals · tree-rings · isotopes · stalactites · boreholes · gastropods
stratigraphy
Study of rock layers
- sedimentologyStudy of geological deposits
- geochronologyStudy of geological ages
- paleoecologyStudy of prehistoric ecosystems
geochemistry · carbon-14 · modeling · reconstructions · spectroscopy · calibration · resolution · archives · datasets · IPCC
Pleistocene
Ancient glacial geological period
- HoloceneCurrent geological epoch
- PaleoceneEarliest Cenozoic epoch
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
Jurassic · Triassic · Permian · Carboniferous · Miocene · Pliocene · Devonian · Ordovician · Cambrian · Precambrian
methane
Simplest alkane fuel
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- precipitationAtmospheric water deposit
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
monsoons · circulation · trade-winds · thermohaline · upwelling · insolation · volcanism · aerosols · dust · aridity
glaciation
Ice sheet spreading process
- morainesGlacial sediment accumulations
- permafrostPerpetually frozen earth layer
- cryosphereEarth's frozen water systems
albedo · firn · ablation · accumulation · sea-level · meltwater · erratics · drumlins · eskers · till
megafauna
Species over 44 kilograms
- mammothExtinct elephant with curved tusks
- mastodonExtinct elephantine Pleistocene mammal
- vegetationPlant life collectively
forests · grasslands · tundra · savanna · biomes · migrations · extinctions · adaptations · plankton · peatlands