Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery that sheds light on the mysterious link between Earth’s orbit around the Sun and ice ages. A new study reveals that changes in the planet’s tilt and orbital path are crucial in predicting future climate fluctuations.
For decades, scientists have been studying the cycles of warmer and cooler climates, known as Milankovitch cycles, which occur every 20,000 to 400,000 years. These cycles are caused by variations in Earth’s orbit around the Sun, including its eccentricity, orbital precession, and tilt.
The new research used a unique approach to study past ice ages, analyzing changes in oxygen isotope ratios in deep-sea fossils over the last 800,000 years. The scientists created a detailed graph of glaciation cycles and compared it with two key aspects of Earth’s orbit: precession and obliquity.
The results showed that deglaciation – the end of an ice age – is closely linked to a relationship between precession and obliquity, while obliquity alone triggers the onset of an ice age. This discovery provides a new tool for predicting future climate changes and could help explain why ice ages occur every 100,000 years.
According to the team’s calculations, the next ice age will likely begin before Earth reaches its minimum obliquity in 11,000 years. This finding has significant implications for understanding the long-term effects of human activity on the climate.
“Becoming aware of how Earth’s dynamic climate system operates is crucial if we hope to predict future changes,” said Dr. Stephen Barker, lead researcher from Cardiff University. “Our findings provide a better understanding of natural climate variability and its potential impact from human activities.”
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/study-reveals-how-earths-orbit-triggers-ice-ages-and-theres-one-in-the-next-11000-years