2006-10-02 06:55:32 · 19 answers · asked by Philipp P 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The main cause of any ice age is a continent over the pole.
Since Antarctica is over a pole, that land gets really cold and can't warm up very fast. Usually, there is water over the poles, and the cold water can easily circulate and regulate the planet better. Land doesn't circulate, so the cold just gets colder. So, Antarctica's occupation of the pole, starting at ~5 Ma (million years ago) has lead to our current ice age.
In the Permian (250 Ma), it was the tip of Gondwanaland (southern Africa/South America). The older glaciations are more speculative.
As long as a land mass occupies a pole, we'll be in an ice age and experience cycles of glacial maxima and minima. We will stay in the pattern for about another few million years (though our greenhouse gas emissions may cancel that out). The fluctuations (maxima/minima) you get (on a ~10 000 to 100 000 year scale) within an ice age, which most mistakenly assume entails the whole ice age, is caused by climate patterns and astronomical cycles.
Once we finish this ice age (i.e. Antarctica leaves the pole), we may get one again when Australia or something else goes over the south pole or N America/Greenland/Siberia goes over the north pole.
Will we go back into a glacial maximum soon? It is possible, but global warming is raising temperatures faster than anything is cooling.
2006-10-02 07:10:08 · answer #1 · answered by QFL 24-7 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ice
2006-10-06 09:23:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Drastic changes to the thermal regulators of the earth ie. The ocean currents, air currents, earth rel;ationship with the sun(my assumption). The first two are proven through core sampling of polar glaciers, well ocean currents are the most important anyway - eg. Ireland is ice-free = hot gulf stream, NewFoundLand is ice-clogged = cold labrador currrent, at the same logtitude on the earth.
2006-10-02 16:47:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Sometimes it's as simple as ocean current changes. The Earth also travels in an elliptical orbit. Sometimes the North is facing the Sun in winter and sometimes it's not. This happens about every 23,000 years or so.
2006-10-02 14:03:06 · answer #4 · answered by Cirric 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ice?
2006-10-02 14:06:23 · answer #5 · answered by Phlodgeybodge 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Super-Volcano under Yellowstone!!!
2006-10-02 14:03:54 · answer #6 · answered by Radio Ga Ga 73 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Nowadays everything seems to be caused by global warming.
2006-10-02 15:05:01 · answer #7 · answered by Dr. J. 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
very cold weather ,lots of ice snow ,polar bears and penguins
2006-10-02 14:08:36 · answer #8 · answered by fireman sam 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Cold weather.
2006-10-02 13:58:25 · answer #9 · answered by iusedtolooklikemyavatar 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The opposite of that which causes them to melt away.
2006-10-02 13:57:37 · answer #10 · answered by Harriet 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋