     
|
Ice cores contain an abundance of climate information --more so than any other natural recorder of climate such as tree rings or sediment layers. Although their record is short (in geologic terms), it can be highly detailed. An ice core from the right site can contain an uninterrupted, detailed climate record extending back hundreds of thousands of years. This record can include temperature, precipitation , chemistry and gas composition of the lower atmosphere, volcanic eruptions, solar variability, sea-surface productivity and a variety of other climate indicators. It is the simultaneity of these properties recorded in the ice that makes ice cores such a powerful tool in paleoclimate research.
|Home
|Who are we?
|How It's Done
|How to Plan your Visit?| Contact: nicl@usgs.gov
|Core Location Maps
|Weather Information
|Site Map|
U.S. Department of the Interior
Privacy Statement || Disclaimer || Accessibility
URL http://nicl.usgs.gov/why.htm
Last updated: April 13, 2005