Abstract
The fluctuations in the size of ice age ice sheets are calculated using glacier mechanics and the Milankovitch solar radiation variations. The calculations are greatly simplified by considering only two-dimensional ice sheets with profiles that would be appropriate if ice obeyed the flow law of a perfectly plastic solid. The solar radiation variations seem to be large enough to account for ice ages.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Vernekar, A. D., Met Monogr., 12, No. 34 (1972).
Broecker, W. S., Science, 151, 299 (1966).
Weertman, J., J. geophys. Res., 66, 3783 (1961).
Weertman, J., J. Glaciol., 38, 145 (1964).
Barry, R. G., Andrews, J. T., and Mahaffy, M. A., Science, 190, 979 (1975).
Calder, N., Nature, 252, 216 (1974).
Shackleton, N. J., and Opdyke, N. D., Quat. Res., 3, 39 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weertman, J. Milankovitch solar radiation variations and ice age ice sheet sizes. Nature 261, 17–20 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/261017a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/261017a0
This article is cited by
-
Critical insolation–CO2 relation for diagnosing past and future glacial inception
Nature (2016)
-
Laurentide ice-sheet instability during the last deglaciation
Nature Geoscience (2015)
-
Collapse of the Icelandic ice sheet controlled by sea-level rise?
arktos (2015)
-
Dynamics between order and chaos in conceptual models of glacial cycles
Climate Dynamics (2014)
-
Exploration of a simple model for ice ages
GEM - International Journal on Geomathematics (2013)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.