Ancient Tibetan ice reveals climate history beyond 128,000 years
This discovery offers a rare glimpse into Earth's climate during the last ice age, crucial for understanding long-term climate patterns.
Scientists have found ice in Tibet dating back over 128,000 years, extending the known glacial record significantly. This ice preserves environmental data from major climate shifts, offering insights into how mountain glaciers have endured over time. The findings, based on ice cores and advanced dating methods, highlight the importance of such records for reconstructing Earth's climate history.
- Ice cores from the Guliya Plateau show patterns of oxygen isotopes that match across samples collected 23 years apart.
- Researchers used radioactive isotopes of beryllium and chlorine to date the ice and identify the Leschamp Geomagnetic Excursion.
- The Guliya ice record extends beyond 128,000 years, making it one of the oldest ice cores outside polar regions.
- The study was published in Science Advances and supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation.