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This
module presents two case studies from Earth history: the first examines the
contrasts between major episodes of warm, apparently ice-free climates and times
of major glaciation; the second considers the rhythms within the most recent
period of glacial climate. Each analysis provides substantial insight into the
Earth's sensitivity to change.
The module is divided into the following sections: Climatic Variation in Earth History, First Case Study: Plate Tectonics and Climate — Episodes of Extensive Glaciation and Extreme Global Warmth, Second Case Study: the Orbit of Earth and Pleistocene Glacial Rhythms, Summary, Glossary, and Recommended Reading.
The full version of this module is available for download in PDF format. Selected chapters are also available for browsing online via the HTML link.
Author: Eric J. Barron, Pennsylvania State University
Contact the author at ebarron@jsg.utexas.edu
