Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Changing Duration of Glacial Cycles from Lower to Upper Pleistocene

Nature volume 219, pages 36–40 (1968)Cite this article

Abstract

Isotopic dating suggests that four major glacial cycles have occurred within the past half-million years, whereas no more than two cycles are generally recognized from the preceding one and a half million years. This change of duration, which provides a test for theories of ice ages, cannot be directly explained by existing theories of oscillating geo-climatic systems without introducing tectonically induced physiographic changes: such changes seem to affect chiefly the oscillation period of Ewing and Donn's system incorporating alternate icing and de-icing of the Arctic ocean.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Curry, R. R., Science, 154, 770 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Stipp, J. J., Chappell, J. M. A., and McDougall, I., Amer. J. Sci., 265, 462 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mathews, W. H., and Curtis, G. H., Nature, 212, 979 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. McDougall, I., and Wensink, H., Earth and Planetary Sci. Lett., 1, 232 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Flint, R. F., in International Studies on the Quaternary: Geol. Soc. Amer. Spec. Paper 84 (edit. by Wright, jun., H. E., and Frey, D. G.), 497 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Glass, B., Ericson, D. B., Heezen, B. C., Opdyke, N. D., and Glass, J. A., Nature, 216, 437 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Banner, F. T., and Blow, W. H., Nature, 208, 1164 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Banner, F. T., and Blow, W. H., Micropaleontology, 13, 183 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Grichuk, V. P., Hey, R. W., and Venzo, S., in International Association of Quaternary Research, Report of the Sixth International Congress, 1, 328 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Evernden, J. F., and Curtis, G. H., Curr. Anthrop., 6 (1965).

  11. Shotton, F. W., Quart. J. Geol. Soc., 122, 357 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Opdyke, N. D., Glass, B., Hays, J. D., and Foster, J., Science, 154, 349 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Olausson, E., Göteborgs Kungl. Vetenskaps-och Vitterhets-Samhälles Handl., Sjätte Följden, B, 8 (1961).

  14. Fleming, C. A., NZ Geol. Survey Bull., 52, 126 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Couper, R. A., and McQueen, D. R., NZ J. Sci. Tech., 35B (1954).

  16. Chappell, J. M. A., Trans. Roy. Soc. NZ (in the press).

  17. Ericson, D. B., Ewing, M., and Wollin, G., Science, 146, 723 (1964).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Venzo, S., in International Association of Quaternary Research, Report of the VIth International Congress, 1, 388 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Emiliani, C., J. Geol., 74, 109 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Lidz, L., Science, 154, 1448 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Shackleton, N. J., and Turner, C., Nature, 216, 1079 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Dort, W., jun., Science, 154, 771 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Frechen, J. von, and Lippolt, H. J., Eiszeitatler Gegenw., 16, 28 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Broeker, W. S., in The Quaternary of the United States (edit. by Wright, jun., H. E., and Frey, D. G.), 745 (Princeton Univ. Press, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Donn, W. L., and Shaw, D. M., J. Geol., 75, 501 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Broeker, W. S., and Thurber, D. L., Science, 149, 55 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Fanale, F. P., and Schaeffer, O. A., Science, 149, 314 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Veeh, H. H., and Valentine, J. W., Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 78, 548 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Wahrhaftig, C., and Birman, J. H., in The Quaternary of the United States (edit. by Wright, jun., H. E., and Frey, D. G.), 299 (Princeton Univ. Press, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Dalrymple, G. B., Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 75 (1964).

  31. Morrison, R. B., in Quaternary Geology of the United States (edit. by Wright, jun., H. E., and Frey, D. G.), 268 (Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, N. J., 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Bradley, W. C., Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 68 (1957).

  33. Valentine, J. W., and Lipps, J. H., J. Paleontol., 37, 1300 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Fairbridge, R. W., Quaternaria, VI, 125 (1962).

  35. Suggate, R. P., NZ Geol. Survey Bull., 77 (1965).

  36. Broeker, W. S., Thurber, D. L., Goddard, J., Ku, T. L., Matthews, R. K., and Mesollela, K. J., Science, 159, 497 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Shackleton, N. J., Nature, 215, 15 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Simpson, J. C., Roy. Met. Soc. Quart. J., 83, 459 (1957).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Öpik, E. J., Armagh Obs., Contr., 9, 79 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  40. Flint, R. F., Glacial and Pleistocene Geology (John Wiley and Sons, London, 1957).

    Google Scholar 

  41. Ewing, M., and Donn, W., Science, 123, 1061 (1958).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Donn, W., and Ewing, M., Science, 156, 1706 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Wilson, A. T., Nature, 201, 147 (1964).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. Tanner, W. F., J. Geol., 73, 413 (1965).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. Emiliani, C., and Geiss, J., Geol. Rundschau, 46, 576 (1959).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Woerkom, A. J. J. van, in Climatic Change (edit. by Shapley, H.), 147 (Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1953).

    Google Scholar 

  47. Zeuner, F. E., The Pleistocene Period, 305 (Hutchinson, London, 1959).

    Google Scholar 

  48. Russell, R. J., Proc. US Nat. Acad. Sci., 52, 791 (1964).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  49. Gage, M., J. Glaciol., 3, 941 (1961).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Brothers, R. N., Trans. Roy. Soc. NZ, 82, 677 (1954).

    Google Scholar 

  51. Cotton, C. A., Trans. Roy. Soc. NZ, 2, 54 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  52. Rosholt, J., Emiliani, C., Geiss, J., Koczy, F., and Wangersky, P., J. Geol., 69, 162 (1961).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Donn, W. L., and Shaw, D. M., J. Geophys. Res., 71, 1090 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  54. Péwé, T. L., J. Geol., 68, 498 (1960).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  55. Armstrong, R. L., Hamilton, W., and Denton, G. H., Science, 159, 188 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  56. Sprigg, R. C., Geol. Survey S. Austral. Bull., 28, 107 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  57. Blackburn, G., Bond, R. P., and Clarke, A. R. P., CSIRO Austral. Soil Publ., 22 (1965).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, S.G.S., Australian National University, Canberra, A.C.T.

    J. CHAPPELL

Authors
  1. J. CHAPPELL
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

CHAPPELL, J. Changing Duration of Glacial Cycles from Lower to Upper Pleistocene. Nature 219, 36–40 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/219036a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/219036a0

This article is cited by

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.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing