Model of climate evolution based on continental drift and polar wandering

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 1977 Model of climate evolution based on continental drift and polar wandering WILLIAM L. DONN; WILLIAM L. DONN 1Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 109642City College, New York, New York 10031 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar DAVID M. SHAW DAVID M. SHAW 1Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information WILLIAM L. DONN 1Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 109642City College, New York, New York 10031 DAVID M. SHAW 1Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1977) 88 (3): 390–396. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1977)88<390:MOCEBO>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation WILLIAM L. DONN, DAVID M. SHAW; Model of climate evolution based on continental drift and polar wandering. GSA Bulletin 1977;; 88 (3): 390–396. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1977)88<390:MOCEBO>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The thermodynamic meteorologic model of J. Adem is used to trace the evolution of climate from Triassic to present time by applying it to changing geography as described by continental drift and polar wandering. Results show that the gross changes of climate in the Northern Hemisphere can be fully explained by the strong cooling in high latitudes as continents moved poleward. High-latitude mean temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere dropped below the freezing point 10 to 15 m.y. ago, thereby accounting for the late Cenozoic glacial age. Computed meridional temperature gradients for the Northern Hemisphere steepened from 20° to 40°C over the 200-m.y. period, an effect caused primarily by the high-latitude temperature decrease. The primary result of the work is that the cooling that has occurred since the warm Mesozoic period and has culminated in glaciation is explainable wholly by terrestrial processes. However, comparison of computed Mesozoic temperatures for North America with observed conditions shows that more polar wander is required than is included in the geography reconstructed primarily on the basis of continental drift. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.