Scientists' Explanation for Exploration 1

Climate Over the Past 800,000 Years (derived from Antarctica Ice Cores)

Over the past 800,000 years, approximately nine glacial-interglacial cycles can be detected, each lasting about 100,000 years. As you learned previously, these glacial-interglacial cycles are affected by the three orbital cycles (eccentricity, obliquity and precession) known as the Milankovich cycles. Separately, these processes have little impact on Earth’s climate. However, when these cycles are combined, they can cause major temperature changes on Earth, such as the sharp warming trend about 130,000 years ago.

Eccentricity
Precession Obliquity