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Global climate patterns stretching back 740,000 years have been confirmed by a three-kilometre-long ice core drilled from the Antarctic, Nature reports.
Analysis of the ice proves our planet has had eight ice ages during that period, punctuated by rather brief warm spells - one of which we enjoy today. If past patterns are followed in the future, we can expect our "mild snap" to last another 15,000 years. The data may also help predict how greenhouse gases will affect climate.
Initial tests on gas trapped in the ice core show that current carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are higher than they have been in 440,000 years.
Nobody quite knows how this will alter our climate, but researchers hope a detailed picture of past fluctuations will give them a better idea. [continued]
Deuterium is a heavy isotope of hydrogen. If a sample of ice has a lot of it, that means the temperature was warmer - and vice versa.
Ice cores are long cylinders of ice that are drilled from glaciers and ice sheets in polar regions, such as Antarctica and Greenland. They provide a record of the Earth's climate and atmosphere dating back hundreds of thousands of years.
Ice cores contain layers of ice that have accumulated over time, trapping tiny air bubbles and other particles from the atmosphere. By analyzing these layers and particles, scientists can determine past temperatures, atmospheric composition, and even events such as volcanic eruptions and wildfires.
Ice cores can provide a wealth of information about past climate conditions, including temperature, precipitation, atmospheric gases (such as carbon dioxide and methane), and even events such as major volcanic eruptions and periods of increased wildfire activity. They can also give insight into Earth's climate patterns and the factors driving climate change.
Ice cores have been drilled as far back as 800,000 years, providing a detailed record of Earth's climate and atmosphere over this time period. However, some scientists are working on techniques to extract even older ice cores, potentially dating back millions of years.
Studying ice cores can be a complicated and time-consuming process. The drilling process itself can be difficult and expensive, and analyzing the layers and particles within the ice cores requires specialized equipment and techniques. Additionally, as ice cores are constantly melting and shifting, scientists must carefully handle and store them to preserve their integrity for future research.