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Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems
Published on: June 30, 2020
Neoproterozoic 'snowball Earth' simulations with a coupled climate/ice-sheet model.
W T Hyde1, T J Crowley, S K Baum
1Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-3146, USA. hyde@rossby.tamu.edu
Nature
|June 6, 2000
Summary
A
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Geophysics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Late Proterozoic era (600-800 Myr ago) may have experienced 'snowball Earth' events.
- Geological and paleomagnetic studies suggest ice sheets reached equatorial regions.
- This period was critical for early multicellular animal evolution, raising questions about survival strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the climate dynamics of a 'snowball Earth' scenario.
- To determine the plausibility of rapid glacial transitions.
- To identify potential refugia for early life during extreme climate events.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a coupled climate/ice-sheet model for simulations.
- Simulated 'snowball Earth' by reducing solar constant with near-present CO2 levels.
- Employed a general circulation model to analyze climate patterns.
Main Results:
- Simulations showed rapid transitions into and out of full glaciation.
- Results align with geological evidence of snowball Earth events.
- Some simulations indicated an equatorial belt of open water.
Conclusions:
- Rapid climate shifts are consistent with snowball Earth hypotheses.
- An equatorial open water belt could have served as a refugium for multicellular life.
- Computer simulations provide insights into early life survival during extreme climate stress.
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