Synopses & Reviews
This book views the Earth's climate as a global system, by describing the evolution of climate throughout the past 600 million years, from the Cambrian to the Quaternary. Palaeoclimates are examined in terms of Cold and Warm modes--phases during which the Earth's climates were either relatively cool with ice forming in high latitudes or when high levels of CO2 led to "greenhouse" warmings and temperate floras and faunas inhabited polar regions. Evidence for climate changes, such as biological indicators, geochemical parameters, and the presence of ice, are compared between these modes. These studies have highlighted the crucial role of tectonics and continental distribution in governing ocean circulation, the distribution of sea ice, sea level changes and global temperature distribution. Orbital forcing and the carbon cycle are also shown as important influences, particularly on short term climatic variations.
Review
"I recommend the book highly...." Leonard T. Boyer, Paleontological Notes"...not only summarizes and organizes the work of most other workers in the field, but also presents, in context, some still controversial conclusions of the authors....should be of general interest to all geology graduate students and professionals, and is also suitable as a reference for advanced undergraduate students in historical geology and stratigraphy or as a course text in paleoclimatology." C.W. Dimmick, Choice"...the most definitive reference so far on the interpretation of the climatic evolution of Earth as a series of alternating warm and cold modes." Eric J. Barron, Nature"...very knowledgeable and readable. It should be of interest to all geologists delving into the past records of the planet and climatologists and oceanographers interested in global climate cycles." Paul Aharon, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
Synopsis
The evolution of the Earthâs climate throughout the past 600 million years is examined by assessing the most up-to-date information on the warm and cold states of the Earthâs past climates. These studies help determine the major mechanisms of climate change on a geological time scale.
Synopsis
The changes in the Earth's climate over the past 600 million years, from the Cambrian to the Quaternary, come under scrutiny in this book. The geological evidence for ancient climates is examined, such as the distribution of climate-sensitive sediments - including coals, evaporites and glacial deposits, the environmental tolerances of fossil plants and animals, and the geochemical record. The Earth's climate has changed many times throughout the Phanerozoic. Thus in this book the climate history has been divided into Warm and Cool modes, intervals when either the Earth was in a former 'greenhouse' state with higher levels of atmospheric CO2 and polar regions free of ice, or the global climate was cooler and ice was present in high latitudes. What are the causes of climatic change? The studies presented here highlight the complex interactions between the carbon cycle, continental distribution, tectonics, sea level variation, ocean circulation and temperature change as well as other parameters. In particular, the potential of the carbon isotope records as an important signal of the past climates of the Earth is explored. This book will be useful to all students and researchers with an interest in palaeoclimates and palaeoenvironments.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 220-270) and index.