Transition from interglacial (Eem) to glaciation (Weichsel), to the current interglacial (warm) period, Holocene, including changing sea-levels: transgressions and regressions.
Abstract
Part 2 reviews some of the pertinent knowledge about ancient climate variations, from ~ 70 Ma BP until the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum), 20 ky ago. There have been four distinct states over the last 50 Ma: Hothouse, Warmhouse, Coolhouse, and the current Icehouse climate state. Humanoids (mainly Neanderthals) lived in Europe from around 120 ky BP in caves. Anatomically modern humans (AMHs) came around 50 ky BP, during the midst of the Weichselian glaciation. The Neanderthals became extinct from around 40 ky BP and can have succumbed due to the last magnetic polarity shift, occurring between 42 and 40 ky BP. The icehouose climate state, with glaciations, started ~2.5 Ma ago. The sea-level has been at least 120 m lower than at Present. Last time around 25-20 kY BP during the LGM. During the deglaciation period (20 – 15 ky BP) the mean sea-level rise was about 20 mm per annum.
Continue reading: The Holocene Climate Change Story: Witnessed from Sola, Norway. Part 2 by Martin Torvald Hovland.