Bits of Climate

New evidence for bipolar seesaw link between Greenland and Antarctica – and abrupt climate variability

Glacials and interglacials on the northern and southern hemisphere somehow do not seem to correspond. This has led to a ‘thermal bipolar seesaw theory,’ whereby an off-mode in the thermohaline circulation leads to an ice age in Europe, but excess … Continue reading →

Eemian Greenland melting 55% warming, 45% solar and feedbacks – ice more stable now

Researchers of Utrecht University say the Greenland ice sheet may be more stable now than during the Eemian, the previous interglacial period, which lasted from 130,000-114,000 years BP. It turns out back then Arctic insolation was bigger – although still … Continue reading →

Climatic CO2 benefits of fertiliser offset by increased N2O emissions

Since the 1860’s nitrogen additions to the terrestrial biosphere have more than doubled, due to human activities. Since nitrogen is a key nutrient needed for plant growth and therefore used as a fertiliser, the additions have made a drastic increase … Continue reading →

Threefold increase of dust led to -40 ppm CO2 Antarctic iron fertilisation during Pleistocene

An international team of researchers today in Nature explain the importance of dust storms for climate variability, not just for the radiative balance, but also for the Earth’s carbon cycle. For geoengineering minds: iron fertilisation at least seems to have … Continue reading →

Ancient clams disprove permanent El Niño theory

The prevailing theory and fear that rising global temperatures could result in permanent El Niño conditions have been called into question by an international research team on the basis of growth rings of prehistoric clams. A transition to a permanent … Continue reading →