Dedication
Acknowledgments
Front Cover Photograph
Holocene Rock Art from the Northwestern Flanks of the Ennedi Highlands, Eastern Sahara, Chad
References
Foreword
Preface to the Third Edition
Chapter 1. Paleoclimatic Reconstruction
Abstract
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Sources of Paleoclimatic Information
1.3 Levels of Paleoclimatic Analysis
1.4 Modeling in Paleoclimatic Research
References
Chapter 2. Climate and Climatic Variation
Abstract
2.1 The Nature of Climate and Climatic Variation
2.2 The Climate System
2.3 Feedback Mechanisms
2.4 Energy Balance of the Earth and Its Atmosphere
2.5 Timescales of Climatic Variation
2.6 Variations of the Earth’s Orbital Parameters
2.7 Solar Forcing
2.8 Volcanic Forcing
References
Chapter 3. Dating Methods I
Abstract
3.1 Introduction and Overview
3.2 Radioisotopic Methods
References
Chapter 4. Dating Methods II
Abstract
4.1 Paleomagnetism
4.2 Dating Methods Involving Chemical Changes
4.3 Tephrochronology
4.4 Biological Dating Methods
References
Chapter 5. Ice Cores
Abstract
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Stable Isotope Analysis
5.3 Dating Ice Cores
5.4 Paleoclimatic Reconstruction from Ice Cores
References
Chapter 6. Marine Sediments
Abstract
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Paleoclimatic Information from Biological Material in Ocean Cores
6.3 Oxygen Isotope Studies of Calcareous Marine Fauna
6.4 Paleotemperatures from Relative Abundance Studies
6.5 Paleotemperature Reconstruction from Sediment Geochemistry
6.6 Oceanographic Conditions at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM)
6.7 Paleoclimatic Information from Inorganic Material in Marine Sediments
6.8 Thermohaline Circulation of the Oceans
6.9 Changes in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide: The Role of the Oceans
6.10 Abrupt Climate Changes
References
Chapter 7. Loess
Abstract
7.1 Chronology of Loess-Paleosol Sequences
7.2 Paleoclimatic Significance of Loess-Paleosol Sequences
References
Chapter 8. Speleothems
Abstract
8.1 Isotopic Variations in Speleothems
8.2 Tropical and Subtropical Paleoclimate Variability from Speleothems
8.3 Speleothems and Glacial Terminations
8.4 Millennial to Centennial Scale Changes
8.5 Late Glacial and Holocene Records
8.6 Stalagmite Records of the Last Two Millennia
8.7 Paleoclimatic Information from Periods of Speleothem Growth
8.8 Speleothems as Indicators of Sea-Level Variations
References
Chapter 9. Lake Sediments
Abstract
9.1 Sedimentology and Inorganic Geochemistry
9.2 Varves
9.3 Pollen, Macrofossils, and Phytoliths
9.4 Ostracods
9.5 Diatoms
9.6 Stable Isotopes
9.7 Organic Biomarkers
References
Chapter 10. Nonmarine Geologic Evidence
Abstract
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Periglacial Features
10.3 Snowlines and Glaciation Thresholds
10.4 Mountain Glacier Fluctuations
10.5 Lake-level Fluctuations
References
Chapter 11. Insects and Other Biological Evidence from Continental Regions
Abstract
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Insects
11.3 Former Vegetation Distribution from Plant Macrofossils
11.4 Peat
References
Chapter 12. Pollen
Abstract
12.1 Introduction
12.2 The Basis of Pollen Analysis
12.3 Pollen Rain as a Representation of Vegetation Composition and Climate
12.4 Quantitative Paleoclimatic Reconstructions Based on Pollen Analysis
12.5 Paleoclimatic Reconstruction from Long Quaternary Pollen Records
References
Chapter 13. Tree Rings
Abstract
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Fundamentals of Dendroclimatology
13.3 Dendroclimatic Reconstructions
13.4 Isotopic Dendroclimatology
References
Chapter 14. Corals
Abstract
14.1 Coral Records of Past Climate
14.2 Paleoclimate from Coral Growth Rates
14.3 Luminescence in Corals
14.4 δ18O in Corals
14.5 δ13C in Corals
14.6 Δ14C in Corals
14.7 Trace Elements in Corals
14.8 Fossil Coral Records
References
Chapter 15. Historical Documents
Abstract
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Historical Records and Their Interpretation
15.3 Regional Studies Based on Historical Records
15.4 Records of Climate Forcing Factors
15.5 Climate Paradigms for the Last Millennium
References
Appendix A. Further Considerations on Radiocarbon Dating
A.1 Calculation of Radiocarbon Age and Standardization Procedure
A.2 Fractionation Effects
References
Appendix B. Internet Resources in Paleoclimatology
References
Index
