The Little Ice Age (LIA)
The little ice age
The Little Ice Age (LIA) was a period of cooling where the world had all round colder temperatures than are experienced now in the 20th century, with Europe being, on average, 1.8℃ colder. The exact timing of the LIA is disputed, with some records suggesting it begun as early as 1250AD, NASA standing by 1550AD and most other sources with years that fall between the 1300AD and 1350AD. The end is universally accepted as around 1850AD. It covered the northern hemisphere, most prominently Europe and North America. Between the years of 1550 and 1850, the LIA was marked by the rapid expanding mountain glaciers, especially in Alaska, the Alps, Norway, and Ireland. In this time, there was 3 maxima, where the temperatures were particularly …show more content…
A D-O event is an event characterized by abrupt, large scale climatic oscillations. D-O events occur roughly every 1470 years. Moving the clock forward from the last huge Ice Age, in periods of 1470 years, then the most recent D-O event should have occurred roughly two to three hundred years ago. This happens to be when the Little Ice Age was ending. If the LIA was a D-O event Antarctica should have warmed during the LIA, when the Northern Hemisphere was cold. This means, that if evidence finds that Antartica warmed during the LIA, then it shows that the LIA was likely a D-O event. If Antartica cooled during this time, then it could mean that the LIA was more widespread than previously thought.
The Possible causes of the Little Ice Age
There are many possible causes for the little ice age, and we have no way of knowing for sure what caused it. This means that we are left to trying to deduce what may be the most likely explanation - or combination of explanations-to form reasons as to why the LIA occurred.
The two main reasons considered likely to have attributed to the LIA are the Maunder Minimum and Volcanic activity.
The Maunder Minimum is the name given to the period of time between 1645 -1715 where the sun was less active than usual, with dramatically less sunspots being recorded over these 70 years than normal. During one 30 year period, there was a total of only 50 sunspots recorded. …show more content…
The data used had been measured by annual counting of sodium levels, which fluctuate seasonally. The use of this method has given them an accuracy of ± 1 year, which is very valid and reliable for the 36 year period. This number shows the accuracy, reliability, and validity of the data. The smaller the number, the more accurate the data is, because it means that the possible range is less. This method was used, because snow accumulation in this region is to low for it to be a viable option, as the layers would tend to meld
The Little Ice Age (LIA) was a period of cooling where the world had all round colder temperatures than are experienced now in the 20th century, with Europe being, on average, 1.8℃ colder. The exact timing of the LIA is disputed, with some records suggesting it begun as early as 1250AD, NASA standing by 1550AD and most other sources with years that fall between the 1300AD and 1350AD. The end is universally accepted as around 1850AD. It covered the northern hemisphere, most prominently Europe and North America. Between the years of 1550 and 1850, the LIA was marked by the rapid expanding mountain glaciers, especially in Alaska, the Alps, Norway, and Ireland. In this time, there was 3 maxima, where the temperatures were particularly …show more content…
A D-O event is an event characterized by abrupt, large scale climatic oscillations. D-O events occur roughly every 1470 years. Moving the clock forward from the last huge Ice Age, in periods of 1470 years, then the most recent D-O event should have occurred roughly two to three hundred years ago. This happens to be when the Little Ice Age was ending. If the LIA was a D-O event Antarctica should have warmed during the LIA, when the Northern Hemisphere was cold. This means, that if evidence finds that Antartica warmed during the LIA, then it shows that the LIA was likely a D-O event. If Antartica cooled during this time, then it could mean that the LIA was more widespread than previously thought.
The Possible causes of the Little Ice Age
There are many possible causes for the little ice age, and we have no way of knowing for sure what caused it. This means that we are left to trying to deduce what may be the most likely explanation - or combination of explanations-to form reasons as to why the LIA occurred.
The two main reasons considered likely to have attributed to the LIA are the Maunder Minimum and Volcanic activity.
The Maunder Minimum is the name given to the period of time between 1645 -1715 where the sun was less active than usual, with dramatically less sunspots being recorded over these 70 years than normal. During one 30 year period, there was a total of only 50 sunspots recorded. …show more content…
The data used had been measured by annual counting of sodium levels, which fluctuate seasonally. The use of this method has given them an accuracy of ± 1 year, which is very valid and reliable for the 36 year period. This number shows the accuracy, reliability, and validity of the data. The smaller the number, the more accurate the data is, because it means that the possible range is less. This method was used, because snow accumulation in this region is to low for it to be a viable option, as the layers would tend to meld