Nature keeps own records of Earth's climate changes

For Friday, May 4, 2012

By Richard Brill

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, May 04, 2012

~~<p>Although detailed climate records exist for only 150 years or so, several Earth sensors keep records that allow us to infer past climate information. These proxy climate data sources substitute for actual weather instruments.</p>
<p>Proxy climate data have built-in limitations because the relationship between climate-forcing mechanisms and environmental response is complex. As a result the older the period under study the more challenging and less reliable are the correlated climatic events.</p>
~~

Although detailed climate records exist for only 150 years or so, several Earth sensors keep records that allow us to infer past climate information. These proxy climate data sources substitute for actual weather instruments.

Proxy climate data have built-in limitations because the relationship between climate-forcing mechanisms and environmental response is complex. As a result the older the period under study the more challenging and less reliable are the correlated climatic events. Login for more...