Meet the Climate Scientists

Meet the Climate Scientists

pp.313-314

Open Ended

Why is it important for scientists to study climate?

Open Ended

Why is it important for scientists to study past climates?

 The study of ancient climate is key to understanding how the climate system works and how it might change in the future.

-American Museum of Natural History

MILUTIN MILANKOVICH

• He was an expert in mathematics, astronomy, and physics.

• He applied knowledge from all three disciplines to develop his ideas about the relationship between Earth's orbit and its climate.

MILUTIN MILANKOVICH

• He was a colleague of Alfred Wegener, the scientist who expanded on the theory of continental drift.

• Milankovitch's work helped Wegener develop his ideas.

In the early 20th century, Wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were “drifting” across the Earth,

-National Geographic

Wegener was convinced that all of Earth’s continents were once part of an enormous, single landmass called Pangaea. 

-National Geographic

Open Ended

Why do you think scientists were slow to accept Milankovitch's ideas?

His ideas could not be proven with simple observations. New evidence for his ideas were not discovered until the 1960s.

Why do you think scientists were slow to accept Milankovitch's ideas?

Dr. Maureen Raymo

• She is a paleoclimatologist, or a scientist who studies ancient climates.

• Among her interests are the physical mechanisms that ice age - the same topic that Milankovitch studied.

Dr. Maureen Raymo

• Most of Raymo's work is based on data collected from deep-sea sediment.

Climate Change

• The American Geophysical Union is a professional organization of climate scientists. In 2010, the organization announced that 700 of it members would be speaking to the public about the seriousness of global climate change.

CLIMATE CHANGE - GLOBAL WARMING

video

In 1754, D' Alembert calculates the change in direction in which Earth's axis is pointed.

1st

In 1824, Adhemar suggests that the change in the direction of Earth's axis is responsible for ice ages.

2nd

In 1864, Croll says that ice ages result from changes in Earth's axis and orbit.

3rd

In 1930, Milankovitch publishes his hypothesis.

4th

In 1960s, research shows that Milankovitch's hypothesis explains some climate trends.

5th

Dr. Raymo finds evidence in rocks and sediment on the ocean floor that supports Milankovitch's hypothesis.

6th