A set of classroom/laboratory activities to reconstruct Earth’s past climate using isotopic composition data from ice cores and to highlight the influence of orbital forcing and atmospheric carbon dioxide feedback on Earth’s climate.
Students will reconstruct Earth’s past temperatures by plotting graphs of isotopic compositions from ice cores in Antarctica. They will determine the relative contributions of orbital parameters (eccentricity, obliquity, precession) and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations on Earth’s past climate.
Use this tool to help students find answers to:
How can you use isotopic compositions to reconstruct past climate?
What is the influence of orbital forcing on Earth’s climate?
How are temperature variations amplified by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations?
About the tool:
Tool Name
From Isotopes to Temperature, & Influences of Orbital Forcing on Ice Core Records
Discipline
Earth Science
Topic(s) in Discipline
Isotopic Compositions, Isotopic Ratios, Orbital Forcing, Milankovitch Cycles, Climate Feedbacks
Climate Topic
Climate and the Atmosphere, Climate and the Cryosphere
Type of Tool
Teaching Module
Grade Level
Undergraduate
Location
Global
Language
English
Translation
Developed by
Spruce Schoenemann, UW Earth and Space Sciences for the University of Washington in the High School Climate Science Course.
Hosted at
PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE, College of the Environment, University of Washington.
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