Knowra Antarctic glaciation Antarctic glaciation Antarctic glaciation is the development and expansion of continental ice sheets across Antarctica. It began in the Eocene and transformed the continent’s landscapes and global climate.
Ice-sheet dynamics : The processes governing the movement, growth, and decay of ice sheets. Ice flow, accumulation, and melting determine how Antarctic glaciation expands or retreats.
Eocene–Oligocene transition : A major climate transition about 34 million years ago, marked by global cooling and rapid Antarctic ice-sheet growth. This interval records the clearest early expansion of continental ice across Antarctica.
East Antarctic Ice Sheet : The vast ice sheet covering most of East Antarctica, grounded largely on bedrock above sea level. It contains the oldest and most persistent major ice cover on the continent.
Sea-level change : Variation in the average height of the ocean surface relative to land. Water stored in Antarctic ice sheets lowered global sea level as they expanded.
Eocene–Oligocene climate transition : The global climatic shift around 34 million years ago from a warm Eocene world to a cooler Oligocene climate. Researchers debate how carbon dioxide decline, gateways, and orbital forcing divided responsibility for ice growth.
Milankovitch cycles : Periodic changes in Earth's orbit and axial orientation that alter the distribution of incoming solar radiation. Orbital variations paced later Antarctic ice-volume changes after the ice sheet formed.
Eocene : A geological epoch lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago, generally warmer than the present. Antarctica developed its first substantial ice sheets near the end of this warm epoch.
West Antarctic Ice Sheet : An ice sheet covering West Antarctica, much of it grounded below sea level. Its marine-based foundation makes it more vulnerable to ocean warming and retreat.
Deep-ocean circulation : The large-scale movement of water through the deep ocean, driven by density differences and winds. Antarctic cooling and ice formation altered the production and spread of deep waters.
Paleoclimate proxy : A measurable feature of natural materials used to reconstruct past climate conditions. Proxy records provide indirect estimates of early Antarctic ice volume and temperature.
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