Paleoclimate is the study of past climates to provide context for current observations of global warming
Ice cores and other proxies are used to determine past climate when instrumental records were not available
Ice cores can be taken from ice sheets in Greenland or Antarctica to analyze isotope concentration of hydrogen and oxygen to understand past temperature trends
Bubbles of air trapped in ice cores can be analyzed to determine past atmospheric composition, such as sulfuric acid indicating past volcanic eruptions
Tree rings can indicate past climate change, with wider rings suggesting warmer and moister conditions and narrower rings indicating colder and drier conditions
Fossils, corals, and tree pollen are also used as proxies to study past climate and environmental conditions
The hockey stick diagram shows temperature change over time, with the medieval warm period and the little ice age being notable past climate events
Paleoceanography involves analyzing sediments from ocean floor cores to understand past climate and sea water temperature changes
Ice cores are used as proxies to determine past climate by analyzing isotope concentration of hydrogen and oxygen, air bubbles, sulfuric acid, and dust trapped in the ice
Tree rings can indicate past climate change by looking at annual growth, thickness of rings, and harsh vs good growing conditions
Fossils, corals, and tree pollen are other proxies used to study past climate by analyzing the types of species present and growth conditions
The hockey stick diagram shows temperature change over time, indicating the medieval warm period, the little ice age, and the unprecedented warming in the 20th century
Paleoceanography involves analyzing sediments from ocean floor cores to determine past climate and sea water temperature using oxygen isotopes and decomposed ocean life
The JOIDES Resolution research vessel is used for analyzing sediment cores through ocean floor drilling to provide insights into changes in global climate over millions of years
Isotopes are atoms that have differing numbers of neutrons in their nuclei
We can determine the age of shells using ratios of oxygen isotopes.
JOIDES stands for Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling
JOIDES Resolution is operated by Texas A&M University
JOIDES Resolution began working for the Ocean Drilling Program in 1985
JOIDES Resolution - In 2004, core samples recovered from the seafloor beneath the Arctic Ocean revealed that 55 million years ago the Arctic region had a subtropical climate