Cave in Greenland points to higher ancient air temperatures in High Arctic

Cave in Greenland points to higher ancient air temperatures in High Arctic

A cave in Greenland has shown that temperatures in the High Arctic were 25 degrees Fahrenheit higher than those of today. Minerals in the cave date back to roughly 9.5–5.3 million years ago. Their chemistry points to rapid flips between mild conditions and brief advances of small glaciers, suggesting the region reacted swiftly to climate shifts. Inside the Greenland cave, calcite could accumulate only when liquid water moved through the ground. …

Greenland cave discovery reveals the Arctic temperature millions of years ago

By Raquel Brandao – earth.com Cave minerals from far northern Greenland show that the High Arctic once thawed and flowed with liquid water. The new record points to mean annual air temperatures roughly 25 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than today. Those minerals grew between roughly 9.5 and 5.3 million years ago, a warm slice of the Late Miocene. The samples indicate brief swings to small glaciers between warm spells, revealing a region that shifted …