Draft 2-Milankovich

This topic submitted by Jackie Van Etten ( vanetjl@muohio.edu ) on 1/28/03 .

Global Climate Change -Interdisciplinary Studies-Miami University

LINKS
Solar Radiation
Cycle Summary
Orbital Variations
More Summary
Great Site!

Eccentricity - The shape of Earth's elliptical orbit around the sun varies. The variation in shape effects seasonal temperature ranges on Earth as the distance from the sun changes. This orbital cycle occurs approximately every 100,000 years. When the Earth is nearest the sun in it's orbit, it is known as a perihelion.

Precession - Change in direction in space of the Earth's axis of rotation with a 22,000 year periodicity. Earth "wobbles" on it's axis causing the north pole to point either at Vega or the North Star. This orientation influences climate and glaciation cycles.

Tilt - Earth's axial tilt varies, altering the orientation of Earth relative to the Sun. Angle of tilt ranges between 22 and 24.5 degrees with 40,000 year periodicity. Duration and intensity of seasons is influenced by the Earth's tilt.

Protic, N.J. and Kostic, N.M. (2002) Pedogenic processes in loess sediments in Serbia and Milankovich's astronomic theory. 17th WCSS 348, 1-11.
Daley, A. Little Ice Age; was it big enough to be global?
Rahmstorf, S. (2002) Ocean Circulation and Climate during the past 120,000 years. Nature 419, 207-214.
Philander, G. (2001) Why Global Warming Is Controvercial. Science 294, 2105-2106.
Crowley, T.J. (2002) Cycles, Cycles Everywhere. Science 295, 1-13.

Previous Article
Return to the Topic Menu Or Return to the Global Change Syllabus