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Ice Cores: Windows to the Past
| Article
# : |
17598 |
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Section : |
NATURAL SCIENCE
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| Issue
Date : |
7 / 1990 |
2,748 Words |
| Author
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Michael Morrison and Paul Mayewski
Michael Morrison is associate director of the GISP2 Science
Management Office at the University of New Hampshire. Paul
Mayewski is director of the GISP2 Science Management Office
and director of the glacial research group at the University
of New Hampshire. |
During the past few decades, researchers have established the existence of a climate system on earth that is characterized by complex integration and feedback. The sun and all the parts of the earth - the oceans, atmosphere, masses of land and ice, all life, and the inner earth - are parts of this system. Changes in any one part of the system affect all the others and ultimately result in climate change. Climate change is actually a continuous process. The changes range from slow and gradual to surprisingly fast and dramatic.
But how do the parts of the system interact? How will specific changes in one part affect the others and, ultimately, the climate? What patterns of processes occur to produce the changes we have observed, such as the cycle of glacial advances and retreats? What climate changes will occur as a result of human activities?
Humanity's production of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, sulfuric and nitric acids, chlorofluorocarbons and other "green-house" gases, as well as the impact of human activities on large ecosystems, makes understanding the climate system imperative. From what we do know now, our activities could raise the average temperature several degrees over the next few decades in addition to altering weather patterns. If so, the potential exists for severe, even catastrophic, disruption of the earth's living and climate systems. Separating the natural changes from those induced by human activity is an important goal.
Ice cores - cylinders of ice drilled out of glaciers and polar ice sheets - have played an important role in revealing what we know so far about the history of climate. Today, U.S.
... (1990 of 16192 Characters)
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