Fossils harbor climate clues and fuel debate over glacier stability

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States)

OSTI ID:5860310

At the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf near McMurdo Station in Antarctica, scientists have discovered fossils of well preserved wood and a mixture of microscopic marine organisms, dating from the Eocene epoch. This discovery promises significant clues to the onset of glaciation in Antarctica. Geologists believe that this discovery may shed light on Antarctica's link to world climate and help predict future climatic change. Debate centers around when glaciation first became extensive, 15 or 20 million years ago, and whether or not the ice sheet was dynamic and responsive to small fluctuations in climate or stable and able to lock up massive amounts of the world's water. 7 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5860310
• Journal Information: Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States), Journal Name: Antarctic Journal of the United States; (United States) Vol. 28:2; ISSN AJUSAF; ISSN 0003-5335
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ANTARCTICA
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
CENOZOIC ERA
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CRYOSPHERE
EOCENE EPOCH
FLUCTUATIONS
FOSSILS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GLACIERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ICE
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PALEONTOLOGY
PLANKTON
POLAR REGIONS
SEAS
STABILITY
SURFACE WATERS
TERTIARY PERIOD
VARIATIONS
WATER
WOOD