Climatic Changes During the Past 400,000 Years

  • Yi, HI-Il (Marine Geoenvironment and Resources Division, Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute) ;
  • Shin, Im-Chul (Climate Research Lab, Korea Meteorological Administration, Meteorological Research Institute)
  • Published : 2004.12.01

Abstract

Temperature variations, and carbon dioxide and methane concentrations are summarized during the past 400,000 years. Atmospheric temperature varied approximately within $10^{\circ}C$ during the past 400,000 years. Most of the time during the past 400,000 years, temperature was lower than today except 410000, 320000, 250000, and 125000 years ago. Temperature was slightly higher or at least similar to today during the time period of 410000. 320000, 250000, and 125000 years ago. The carbon dioxide concentration varied between 180 and 300 ppm, and the methane concentration varied between 40 and 700ppb. The present atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is 375 ppm and methane is 1750 ppb. Temperature was 5-$7^{\circ}C$ lower than today during the Last Glacial Maximum(18,000 years ago) and the Younger Dryas(10,000 years ago). Temprature was varied within $1^{\circ}C$ during the past 10,000 years. Especially Middle Holocene Climatic Optimum(6,000 years ago), Medieval Warm Period (500-1,000 years ago), and Little Ice Age(100-500 year ago) were global climatic events. In general, mechanism for the Middle Holocene Climatic Optimum, Medical Warm Period, and Little Ice Age can be explained by the solar insulation, however their exact mechnism is not well known. Carbon dioxide concentration during the past 400,000 years never reached the current value of 375 ppm. Furthermore, the current methane concentration never reached during the past 20Ma. However, current temperature value has happened several times during the past 400,000 years. The implication of this is unsolved question so far. This should be challenged in the near future.

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