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Milankovitch Variations
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Milankovitch_Variations.png

Robert A. Rohde, Wikipedia

This figure shows the various astronomic cycles that influence long-term global climate cycles (Milankovitch cycles), plotted on the same time scale for easy comparison.

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Climate Literacy

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Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

  • Students can calculate frequency of each cycle from the figure using a ruler and working out the 'scale.'
  • Different student groups could each plot the original datasets and discuss; this figure could be later provided as an easy takeaway summary of their efforts.

About the Content

  • Figure that shows the variations in Earth's orbit (precession, obliquity, and eccentricity), the resulting changes in solar energy flux at high latitude (solar forcing at 65 degrees N), and the observed glacial cycles. Also includes a graph of the last 5 glacial terminations.
  • Comments from expert scientist: Covers appropriate material, but has some confusing wording. Generally speaking, the scientific information is correct, but it is not very in-depth and doesn't tell the whole story.

About the Pedagogy

  • Good background information for students and teachers.
  • The "backwards" timescale, while potentially confusing, is the convention in paleoclimatology.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • Easy to download and use.
Entered the Collection: April 2017 Last Reviewed: September 2014

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