When Will the Present Interglacial End?

1972 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils-Axel Mörner

We are now living under interglacial climatic conditions, the Present Interglacial or Flandrian Interglacial Age. It will certainly be followed by the Future Ice Age. The major cold/warm changes seem to have a cyclicity of 10,500 yr. We have been in the second cycle (characterized by cooler climate) after the Last Ice Age for 2200 yr and will continue to be so for another 8300 yr. By analogy with the conditions during the Last Interglacial it is concluded that this cycle will remain moderately warm. With the end of the third cycle at about 18,800 years AP, the Present Interglacial will end and the First Future Glacial Age begin. Further information about the climatic conditions during the “cold” cycle 117,700–107,200 y. a. is necessary, however, before a really well-founded prediction can be made.

1988 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claude F. Boutron ◽  
Clair C. Patterson ◽  
Claude Lorius ◽  
V.N. Petrov ◽  
N.I. Barkov

Concentrations of lead (Pb) have been measured by the ultra-clean isotope dilution mass spectrometry technique in various sections of the Antarctic Dome C and Vostok deep ice cores, whose ages range from 3.85 to 155 ka B.P., in order to assess the natural, pre-human, sources of this toxic heavy metal in the global troposphere. Pb concentrations were very low, as low as about 0.3 pg Pb/g during the Holocene and probably during the last interglacial and part of the last ice age. On the other hand, they were quite high, up to about 40 pg Pb/g, during the Last Glacial Maximum and at the end of the penultimate ice age. Wind-blown dust from crustal rock and soil appears to be the main natural source of Pb in the global troposphere. Pb contribution from volcanoes is significant during periods of low Pb only. Contribution from the oceans is insignificant.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lander Van Tricht ◽  
Chloë Marie Paice ◽  
Oleg Rybak ◽  
Rysbek Satylkanov ◽  
Victor Popovnin ◽  
...  

The mean specific mass balance of a glacier represents the direct link between a glacier and the local climate. Hence, it is intensively monitored throughout the world. In the Kyrgyz Tien Shan, glaciers are of crucial importance with regard to water supply for the surrounding areas. It is therefore essential to know how these glaciers behave due to climate change and how they will evolve in the future. In the Soviet era, multiple glaciological monitoring programs were initiated but these were abandoned in the nineties. Recently, they have been re-established on several glaciers. In this study, a reconstruction of the mean specific mass balance of Bordu, Kara-Batkak and Sary-Tor glaciers is obtained using a surface energy mass balance model. The model is driven by temperature and precipitation data acquired by combining multiple datasets from meteorological stations in the vicinity of the glaciers and tree rings in the Kyrgyz Tien Shan between 1750 and 2020. Multi-annual mass balance measurements integrated over elevation bands of 100 m between 2013 and 2020 are used for calibration. A comparison with WGMS data for the second half of the 20th century is performed for Kara-Batkak glacier. The cumulative mass balances are also compared with geodetic mass balances reconstructed for different time periods. Generally, we find a close agreement, indicating a high confidence in the created mass balance series. The last 20 years show a negative mean specific mass balance except for 2008–2009 when a slightly positive mass balance was found. This indicates that the glaciers are currently in imbalance with the present climatic conditions in the area. For the reconstruction back to 1750, this study specifically highlights that it is essential to adapt the glacier geometry since the end of the Little Ice Age in order to not over- or underestimate the mean specific mass balance. The datasets created can be used to get a better insight into how climate change affects glaciers in the Inner Tien Shan and to model the future evolution of these glaciers as well as other glaciers in the region.


1988 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 206-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Jouzel ◽  
C. Lorius ◽  
J.R. Petit ◽  
C. Genthon ◽  
N.I. Barkov ◽  
...  

Oceanic studies have convincingly demonstrated that there is a link between the Pleistocene ice ages and the variations in the elements of the Earth’s orbit (Imbrie and others 1984). In contrast, the climatic conditions which prevailed over continental areas have been far less well documented and then rarely on a quantitative basis. In this context, the 2083 m ice core recovered by the Soviet Antarctic Expeditions at Vostok (East Antarctica) is of fundamental importance because it covers fully the last glacial-interglacial cycle, back to the ice age which preceded the last interglacial (∽160 ka B.P.). Potentially it allows access to many climatic and climate-related parameters as illustrated by the oxygen-18 data we have recently published (Lorius and others 1985), from 10Be measurements (Yiou and others 1985, Raisbeck and others 1987), from aerosol concentration (De Angelis and others 1987) and from CO2 measurement (Barnola and others 1988, this volume). Our first isotopic data set was largely discontinuous over the last 100 ka (only about 7% of the core was analyzed), but continuous beyond that time. Sampling of the ice was completed later, in the field, and we now have continuous deuterium data for the whole core (total ice recovery is about 85%), combining the data of the 2083 m core below 138 m and a complementary data set above. The core chronology was established using a two-dimensional ice-flow model and, for snow accumulation, taking into account change with time (Lorius and others 1985). There is a general correspondence between this curve and the previously published δ18O record (Lorius and others 1985). However, there is obviously far more information in this continuous δD record, which we will examine from the deduced temperature record.


1979 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Villarroel ◽  
K. Graf

Abstract. The town of La Paz is situated between the Bolivian Highland (Altiplano) and the Central Mountain Range. These two landscape units were mostly formed during the Tertiary. But at their intermediate bordering zone, geomorphological forms have 'later been reshaped. At the end of the Pliocene, a peneplain was formed (the Altiplano of today) and got covered by volcanic ashes. Since the fossilization of mammals (Posnanskytherium) in the late Pliocene, a tektonical uplift of about 3300 ft. has taken place, and huge moraines built up covering the whole city area of today. The enormous La Paz Valley was eroded above all during the last interglacial period. During the last ice age, the glaciers reached the present upper city border only and melted away very rapidly 9800 years ago at the latest.


1988 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claude F. Boutron ◽  
Clair C. Patterson ◽  
Claude Lorius ◽  
V.N. Petrov ◽  
N.I. Barkov

Concentrations of lead (Pb) have been measured by the ultra-clean isotope dilution mass spectrometry technique in various sections of the Antarctic Dome C and Vostok deep ice cores, whose ages range from 3.85 to 155 ka B.P., in order to assess the natural, pre-human, sources of this toxic heavy metal in the global troposphere. Pb concentrations were very low, as low as about 0.3 pg Pb/g during the Holocene and probably during the last interglacial and part of the last ice age. On the other hand, they were quite high, up to about 40 pg Pb/g, during the Last Glacial Maximum and at the end of the penultimate ice age. Wind-blown dust from crustal rock and soil appears to be the main natural source of Pb in the global troposphere. Pb contribution from volcanoes is significant during periods of low Pb only. Contribution from the oceans is insignificant.


1988 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 206-207
Author(s):  
J. Jouzel ◽  
C. Lorius ◽  
J.R. Petit ◽  
C. Genthon ◽  
N.I. Barkov ◽  
...  

Oceanic studies have convincingly demonstrated that there is a link between the Pleistocene ice ages and the variations in the elements of the Earth’s orbit (Imbrie and others 1984). In contrast, the climatic conditions which prevailed over continental areas have been far less well documented and then rarely on a quantitative basis.In this context, the 2083 m ice core recovered by the Soviet Antarctic Expeditions at Vostok (East Antarctica) is of fundamental importance because it covers fully the last glacial-interglacial cycle, back to the ice age which preceded the last interglacial (∽160 ka B.P.). Potentially it allows access to many climatic and climate-related parameters as illustrated by the oxygen-18 data we have recently published (Lorius and others 1985), from 10Be measurements (Yiou and others 1985, Raisbeck and others 1987), from aerosol concentration (De Angelis and others 1987) and from CO2 measurement (Barnola and others 1988, this volume).Our first isotopic data set was largely discontinuous over the last 100 ka (only about 7% of the core was analyzed), but continuous beyond that time. Sampling of the ice was completed later, in the field, and we now have continuous deuterium data for the whole core (total ice recovery is about 85%), combining the data of the 2083 m core below 138 m and a complementary data set above. The core chronology was established using a two-dimensional ice-flow model and, for snow accumulation, taking into account change with time (Lorius and others 1985).There is a general correspondence between this curve and the previously published δ18O record (Lorius and others 1985). However, there is obviously far more information in this continuous δD record, which we will examine from the deduced temperature record.


Author(s):  
Dr. Bir Abhimanyu Kumar

It is well known that the climatic conditions of our earth have changed since its origin. In its early days environmental conditions were not suitable for life. However, with due course of time it has changed and origin of life took place. Scientists have found seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat during the last 650,000 years and also that the last ice age abruptly ended about 7,000 years ago. The phenomenon of climate change has many implications and immense effects on our environment. There are many factors such as emissions of greenhouse gases, deforestation, urbanization and industrialization which impact the climate. Some of the major consequences of climate change include impacts on sea level rise in coastal areas, impacts on forestry, agriculture and food productivity, life and property in coastal areas, marine life, wildlife habitat and natural ecosystem, biodiversity, glaciers, floods and human health. This paper is an attempt to understand the phenomenon of climate change, historical evidences of climate change, identify reasons of global warming and climate change and its consequences in the South Asia and, in its neighbouring regions.


2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (136) ◽  
pp. 455-468
Author(s):  
Hartwig Berger

The article discusses the future of mobility in the light of energy resources. Fossil fuel will not be available for a long time - not to mention its growing environmental and political conflicts. In analysing the potential of biofuel it is argued that the high demands of modern mobility can hardly be fulfilled in the future. Furthermore, the change into using biofuel will probably lead to increasing conflicts between the fuel market and the food market, as well as to conflicts with regional agricultural networks in the third world. Petrol imperialism might be replaced by bio imperialism. Therefore, mobility on a solar base pursues a double strategy of raising efficiency on the one hand and strongly reducing mobility itself on the other.


Author(s):  
Alaa Taleb Khalaf

The present research aims at arriving the motives of the Russian intervention in the Syrian crisis, in the first section, As well as the positions of regional and international countries in favor of this intervention and opposition to it, in the second section, And the out looking of the future of this intervention and keeping an open crisis in Syria by posing future scenarios and the likelihood of one of them, and the jungle in the third section.


Author(s):  
Loreta De Stasio

En este artículo examinaremos algunas de las principales estrategias discursivas empleadas en dos artículos publicados por U. Eco en L’Espresso, una revista semanal muy conocida en Italia de carácter político, social, cultural y económico, en el marco de una página personal titulada “La Bustina di Minerva”, es decir, “El Sobrecito de Minerva”. El título es una referencia a la comunicación breve, a las observaciones de cualquier tipo, pero igualmente, de forma simultánea. Los sobrecitos reflexionan sobre el mundo contemporáneo, la sociedad italiana, los medios de comunicación de masas; tratan de la actualidad y la relacionan con la historia y la filosofía, con Internet y el futuro del Tercer Milenio, y nos proponen los pensamientos de U. Eco con más viveza que una conferencia o un tratado.La ironía, la sátira y la parodia son las bases argumentativas de muchos “Sobrecitos”. Generalmente, el humor transmite dos sentidos a la vez. Detrás de una serie de textos tan variados temáticamente aparece a menudo una misma estructura binaria, un cuerpo dual. Con frecuencia, un mismo artículo obedece a una doble orientación tematica, ya que suelen mezclar dos motivos que pertenecen a áreas diferentes, alternando simultáneamente dos sujetos. A esta doble orientación temática del “Sobrecito” corresponde la doble orientación semántica de la palabra irónica que, junto con la parodia es un discurso dialógico o bi-direccional en el que se mezclan dos voces.In this article some of the main discursive strategies used in two articles published by U. Eco are examined. These articles have been published in L'Espresso, a weekly review very widespread in Italy, of political, social, cultural and economic character, within the framework of a column titled “La Bustina di Minerva”, that is to say, “The little bag/envelope of Minerva”. This title refers to a brief communication, to observations of any type, but also, immediate. The “bustine” reflects on the contemporary world, the Italian society, the mass media; they deal with present time and relate it to history and philosophy, Internet and the future of the Third Millennium, and they propose us Eco’s thoughts with more vividness than a conference or an essay.Irony, satire and parody are the argumentative bases of many “bustine”. Generally, humour transmits two senses simultaneously. Behind a series of texts so thematically varied there is often a same binary structure, a dual body. Frequently, a same article obeys to a double thematic direction, since usually they mix two arguments that belong to different areas, alternating two subjects simultaneously. To this double thematic direction of the “bustina” corresponds the double semantic direction of the ironic word that, along with parody, is a dialogic or bidirectional speech in which two voices are mixed.


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