Milankovitch solar radiation variations and ice age ice sheet sizes (original) (raw)

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• Published: 06 May 1976

Nature volume 261, pages 17–20 (1976)Cite this article

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Materials Science & Engineering, and Department of Geological Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 60201
   Johannes Weertman

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1. Johannes Weertman
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Weertman, J. Milankovitch solar radiation variations and ice age ice sheet sizes.Nature 261, 17–20 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/261017a0

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• Received: 19 January 1976
• Accepted: 16 March 1976
• Issue Date: 06 May 1976
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/261017a0