Question

What are Milankovitch cycles and how do they contribute to climate change?

Answer 1

Milankovitch cycles are variations in the orbit, axial tilt, and wobble of the Earth over extended periods of time.

Explanation:

Milankovitch cycles are variations in the orbit, axial tilt, and wobble of the Earth over extended periods of time. These variations contribute to changes in climate over long periods of time. They initiate the beginning of ice ages and natural periods of global warming.

Variations in 1) eccentricity, 2) axial tilt, and 3) precession of orbit
(wobble) all affect climate.

Milankovitch cycles matter when we're considering anthropogenic, or human caused, climate change because we compare current measurements to what is predicted. In the image below, we can see that we're departing from the natural rhythms of Milankovitch cycles, shown in blue, and have been on a different path since around the 1980s.

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