Prompt Cast
Understanding Milankovitch Cycles and Their Impact on Earth's Climate
TLDR Milankovitch cycles are slow changes in the Earth's orbit and tilt that can affect the long-term climate of the planet. These cycles, including axial tilt, eccentricity, and procession, can either cancel each other out or compound each other, leading to changes in the amount of sunlight that falls on the northern hemisphere and ultimately impacting the strength of seasons and the melting of ice. However, it is important to note that Milankovitch cycles are not responsible for the recent climatic changes measured over the last several decades.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Milankovitch cycles are slow changes in the Earth's orbit and tilt that can affect the long-term climate of the planet.
01:24
Milankovitch cycles refer to the Earth's various cycles, including the tilt of its rotation, known as obliquity, which wobbles between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees over a 41,000 year cycle.
02:42
The Earth's axis goes through a circular rotation every 25,771.5 years, causing changes in the North Star, while the Earth's orbit around the Sun deviates from a perfect circle in a cycle known as eccentricity.
03:58
The Earth's orbit around the Sun goes through cycles of eccentricity, absidual procession, and orbital inclination, each lasting about 100,000 years and involving small changes that can compound or mitigate each other.
05:18
The cycles of axial tilt, eccentricity, and procession can either cancel each other out or compound each other, affecting the amount of sunlight that falls on the northern hemisphere and ultimately impacting the strength of seasons and the melting of ice.
06:28
The combination of factors such as axial tilt, eccentricity, and procession can cause ice ages, and the timing and strength of ice ages are still being studied.
07:42
Milankovic cycles are not responsible for the recent climatic changes measured over the last several decades, as their effects take thousands, if not tens of thousands of years to change.
