Scientists throw light on mysterious ice age temperature jumps

Scientists believe they have discovered the reason behind mysterious changes to the climate that saw temperatures fluctuate by up to 15°C within just a few decades during the ice age periods. In a new study published today, the researchers show that rising levels of CO₂ could have reached a tipping point during these glacial periods, triggering a series of chain events that caused temperatures to rise abruptly. The findings, which have been published , add to mounting evidence suggesting that gradual changes such as a rising CO₂ levels can lead to sudden surprises in our climate, which can be triggered when a certain threshold is crossed. Dansgaard-Oeschger events. Previous studies have shown that an essential part of the natural variability of our climate during glacial times is the repeated occurrence of abrupt climate transitions, known as Dansgaard-Oeschger events. These events are characterized by drastic temperature changes of up to 15°C within a few decades in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. This was the case during the last glacial period around 100,000 to 20,000 years ago.