Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T08:08:49.148Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Comparison of Evidence for Late Holocene Summer Temperature Variations in the Northern Hemisphere

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

L. D. Williams  and
T. M. L. Wigley
L. D. Williams
Affiliation:
School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
T. M. L. Wigley
Affiliation:
Climatic Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Data on glacier, tree-line, tree-ring, pollen, and ice-core variations in North America, Greenland, and Europe during the last 2000 yr (up to A.D. 1800) are compared in detail on the century time scale. Only data that may be indicative of summer temperature changes are included, since these comprise most of the available paleoclimatic information, although some variations (especially of glaciers) may have been in response to precipitation changes instead. Radiocarbon dates and 14C-dated records are converted to calendar (dendrochronological) years using the calibration of M. Stuiver (1982, Radiocarbon 24, 1–26). Despite the basic uncertainties in dating, interpretation, response times, and “noise level” of proxy climatic data, there is at times good agreement among different kinds of evidence from within a region to suggest an episode of generally warmer or cooler summers. Three previously identified episodes find expression in records from all of the regions considered: the “Little Ice Age” of the last few centuries, a “Medieval Warm Period” around the 12th century A.D., and an earlier cold period some time between the 8th and 10th centuries. However, the timing of minima and maxima within these episodes seems to have varied from region to region (although the evidence is consistent within regions). In the 15th century, summers were warm in the eastern Canadian Arctic and southern Greenland while there was a cold episode in Europe and western North America.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , November 1983 , pp. 286 - 307
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alexander, M. Worsley, P. 1973 Stratigraphy of a Neoglacial end moraine in Norway Boreas 2 117–142 Google Scholar
Andersen, J.L. Sollid, J.L. 1971 Glacial chronology and glacial geomorphology in the marginal zones of the glaciers, Midtdalsbreen and Nigardsbreen, south Norway Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift 25 1–38 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrews, J.T. 1975 Radiocarbon date list II from Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island, N.W.T., Canada Arctic and Alpine Research 7 77–91 Google Scholar
Andrews, J.T. 1976 Radiocarbon date list III, Baffin Island, N.W.T., Canada INSTAAR Occasional Paper No. 21 University of Colorado Boulder Google Scholar
Andrews, J.T. Barnett, D.M. 1979 Holocene (Neoglacial) moraine and proglacial lake chronology, Barnes Ice Cap, Canada Boreas 8 341–358 Google Scholar
Andrews, J.T. Davis, P.T. Mode, W.N. Nichols, H. Short, S.K. 1981 Relative departures in July temperatures in northern Canada for the past 6000 years Nature (London) 289 164–167 Google Scholar
Andrews, J.T. Miller, G.H. 1972 The Quaternary history of the northern Cumberland peninsula, east Baffin Island, N.W.T., Canada. Part X. Radiocarbon date list Arctic and Alpine Research 4 261–277 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrews, J.T. Webber, P.J. Nichols, H. 1979 A late Holocene pollen diagram from Pangnirtung Pass, Baffin Island, N.W.T., Canada Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 27 1–28 Google Scholar
Baranowski, S. Karlén, W. 1976 Remnants of Viking Age tundra in Spitsbergen and northern Scandinavia Geografiska Annaler 58A 35–39 Google Scholar
Barendsen, G.W. Deevey, E.S. Gralenski, L.J. 1957 Yale natural radiocarbon measurements III Science 126 908–919 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bell, B. 1980 Analysis of viticultural data by cumulative deviations Journal of Interdisciplinary History 10 851–858 Google Scholar
Bell, W.T. Ogilvie, A.E.J. 1978 Weather compilations as a source of data for the reconstruction of European climate during the medieval period Climatic Change 1 331–348 Google Scholar
Bender, M.M. Bryson, R.A. Baerreis, D.A. 1965 University of Wisconsin radiocarbon dates I Radiocarbon 7 399–407 Google Scholar
Bender, M.M. Bryson, R.A. Baerreis, D.A. 1966 University of Wisconsin radiocarbon dates II Radiocarbon 8 522–533 Google Scholar
Benedict, J.B. 1967 Recent glacial history of an alpine area in the Colorado Front Range, U.S.A. I. Establishing a lichen-growth curve Journal of Glaciology 6 817–832 Google Scholar
Benedict, J.B. 1968 Recent glacial history of an alpine area in the Colorado Front Range, U.S.A. II. Dating the glacial deposits Journal of Glaciology 7 77–87 Google Scholar
Benedict, J.B. 1973 Chronology of cirque glaciation, Colorado Front Range Quaternary Research 3 584–599 Google Scholar
Bernabo, J.C. 1981 Quantitative estimates of temperature changes over the last 2700 years in Michigan based on pollen data Quaternary Research 15 143–159 Google Scholar
Borns, H.W. Jr. Goldthwait, R.P. 1966 Late Pleistocene fluctuations of Kaskawulsh Glacier, southwestern Yukon Territory, Canada American Journal of Science 264 600–619 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryson, R.A. Irving, W.N. Larsen, J.A. 1965 Radiocarbon and soil evidence of former forest in the southern Canadian tundra Science 147 46–48 Google Scholar
Burbank, D.W. 1981 A chronology of late Holocene glacier fluctuations on Mount Rainier, Washington Arctic and Alpine Research 13 369–386 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burbank, D.W. 1982 Correlations of climate, mass balances, and glacial fluctuations at Mount Rainier, Washington, U.S.A., since 1850 Arctic and Alpine Research 14 137–148 Google Scholar
Calkin, P.E. Ellis, J.M. 1981 A cirque-glacier chronology based on emergent lichens and mosses Journal of Glaciology 27 511–515 Google Scholar
Crandell, D.R. Miller, R.D. 1964 Post Hypsithermal Glacier Advances of Mount Rainier, Washington 110–114United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 501-DGoogle Scholar
Cropper, J.P. Fritts, H.C. 1981 Tree-ring width chronologies from the North American Arctic Arctic and Alpine Research 13 245–260 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Curry, R.R. 1969 Holocene climatic and glacial history of the central Sierra Nevada, California Geological Society of America, Special Paper No. 123 1–47 Google Scholar
Denton, G.H. Karlén, W. 1973 Holocene climatic variations—Their pattern and possible cause Quaternary Research 3 155–205 Google Scholar
Denton, G.H. Karlén, W. 1977 Holocene glacial and tree line variations in the White River Valley and Skolai Pass, Alaska and Yukon Territory Quaternary Research 7 63–111 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Denton, G.H. Stuiver, M. 1966 Neoglacial chronology, northeastern St. Elias Mountains, Canada American Journal of Science 264 577–599 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Derkson, S.J. 1976 Glacial Geology of the Brady Glacier Region, Alaska Ohio State University, Institute of Polar StudiesReport No. 60Google Scholar
Deew, L.G. 1972 Tree-Ring Chronologies of Western America. III. California and Nevada University of Arizona TucsonLaboratory of Tree-Ring Research, Chronology Series 1Google Scholar
Drew, L.G. 1974 Tree-Ring Chronologies of Western America. IV. Colorado, Utah, Nebraska and South Dakota University of Arizona TucsonLaboratory of Tree-Ring Research, Chronology Series 1Google Scholar
Dyke, A.S. 1977 Quaternary Geomorphology, Glacial Chronology, and Climatic and Sea-Level History of Southwestern Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island, Northwest Territories, Canada Jnpublished Ph.D. thesis University of Colorado Boulder Google Scholar
Eddy, J.A. 1977 Climate and the changing sun Climatic Change 1 173–190 Google Scholar
Eddy, J.A. 1980 Climate and the role of the sun Journal of Interdisciplinary History 10 725–747 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elven, R. 1978 Subglacial plant remains from the Omnsbreen glacier area, south Norway Boreas 7 83–89 Google Scholar
Felber, H. 1970 Vienna Radium Institute radiocarbon dates I Radiocarbon 12 298–318 Google Scholar
Fisher, D.A. Koerner, R.M. 1981 Some aspects of climatic change in the high Arctic during the Holocene as deduced from ice cores Mahaney, W.C. Quaternary Paleoclimate Geo Abstracts Norwich 249–271 Google Scholar
Furrer, G. Gamper-Schollenberger, B. Suter, J. 1980 Zur Geschichte unserer Gletscher in der Nacheiszeit Oeschger, H. Messerli, B. Svilar, M. Das Klima Springer-Verlag New York 91–107 Google Scholar
Goldthwait, R.P. McKeller, I.C. Cronk, C. 1963 Fluctuations of Crillon Glacier system, southeast Alaska International Association of Scientific Hydrology Bulletin 8 62–74 Google Scholar
Gordon, J.E. 1981 Glacier margin fluctuations during the 19th and 20th centuries in the Íkamiut Kangerdluarssuat area, West Greenland Arctic and Alpine Research 13 47–62 Google Scholar
Griffey, N.J. 1976 Stratigraphical evidence for an early Neoglacial glacier maximum of Steikvassbreen, Okstindan, north Norway Norsk Geologisk Tidsskrift 56 187–194 Google Scholar
Griffey, N.J. Matthews, J.A. 1978 Major Neoglacial glacier expansion episodes in southern Norway: Evidences from moraine ridge stratigraphy with 14C dates on buried palaeosols and moss layers Geografiska Annaler 60A 73–90 Google Scholar
Griffey, N.J. Worsley, P. 1978 The pattern of Neoglacial glacier variations in the Okstindan region of northern Norway during the last three millennia Boreas 7 1–17 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grove, J.M. 1979 The glacial history of the Holocene Progress in Physical Geography 3 1–54 Google Scholar
Haselton, G.M. 1966 Glacial Geology of Muir Inlet, Southeast Alaska Ohio State University, Institute of Polar StudiesReport No. 18Google Scholar
Herlihy, D. 1980 Climate and documentary sources: A comment Journal of Interdisciplinary History 10 713–719 Google Scholar
Herron, M.M. Herron, S.L. Langway, C.C. Jr. 1981 Climatic signal of ice melt features in southern Greenland Nature (London) 293 389–391 Google Scholar
Heusser, C.J. 1956 Postglacial environments in the Canadian Rocky Mountains Ecological Monographs 26 263–302 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heusser, C.J. 1957 Variations of Blue, Hoh and White glaciers during recent centuries Arctic 10 139–150 Google Scholar
Hoel, A. Werenskiøld, W. 1962 Glaciers and snowfields of Norway Norsk Polarinstitutt Skrifter 114 1–291 Google Scholar
Hovgaard, W. 1925 The Norsemen in Greenland. Recent discoveries at Herjolfnes Geographical Review 15 605–616 Google Scholar
Ingram, M.J. Underhill, D.J. Wigley, T.M.L. 1978 Historical climatology Nature (London) 276 329–334 Google Scholar
Jacoby, G.C. Ulan, L.D. 1981 Review of dendroclimatology in the forest-tundra ecotone of Alaska and Canada Harington, C.R. Syllogeus: Climatic Change in Canada National Museums of Canada Ottawa 97–128 Google Scholar
Karlén, W. 1973 Holocene glacier and climatic fluctuations, Kebnekaise Mountains, Swedish Lappland Geografiska Annaler 55A 29–63 Google Scholar
Karlén, W. 1976 Lacustrine sediments and tree-limit variations as indicators of Holocene climatic fluctuations in Lappland, northern Sweden Geografiska Annaler 58A 1–34 Google Scholar
Karlén, W. 1979 Glacier variations in the Svartisen area, northern Norway Geografiska Annaler 61A 11–28 Google Scholar
Karlén, W. 1981 A comment on John A. Matthews' article regarding 14C dates of glacial variations Geografiska Annaler 63A 19–21 Google Scholar
Karlén, W. Denton, G.H. 1976 Holocene glacial variations in Sarek National Park, northern Sweden Boreas 5 25–56 Google Scholar
Karlstrom, T.N.V. 1964 Quarternary geology of the Kenai lowland and glacial history of the Cook Inlet region, Alaska U.S. Geological SurveyProfessional Paper 443Google Scholar
Kulp, J.L. Freely, H.W. Tryron, L.E. 1951 Lamont natural radiocarbon measurements I Science 114 565–568 Google Scholar
LaMarche, V.C. Jr. Stockton, C.W. 1974 Chronologies from temperature-sensitive bristlecone pines at upper treeline in western United States Tree-Ring Bulletin 34 21–45 Google Scholar
Lamb, H.H. 1965 The early medieval warm epoch and its sequel Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 1 13–37 Google Scholar
Lamb, H.H. 1972 Climate: Present, Past and Future Vol. 1 Methuen London Google Scholar
Lamb, H.H. 1977 Climate: Present, Past and Future Vol. 2 Methuen London Google Scholar
Le Roy Ladurie, E. 1969 Histoire du Climat Depuis l'An Mil Flammarion Paris[Published in English as “Times of Feast, Times of Famine: A History of Climate since the Year 1000,” (1972) Allen & Unwin, London.]Google Scholar
Le Roy Ladurie, E. Baulant, M. 1980 Grape harvests from the fifteenth through the nineteenth centuries Journal of Interdisciplinary History 10 839–849 Google Scholar
Luckman, B.H. Osborne, G.D. 1979 Holocene glacier fluctuations in the middle Canadian Rocky Mountains Quaternary Research 11 52–77 Google Scholar
Manley, G. 1974 Central England temperatures: Monthly means 1659 to 1973 Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 100 389–405 Google Scholar
Mathews, W.H. 1951 Historic and prehistoric fluctuations of alpine glaciers in the Mount Garibaldi map-area, S.W. British Columbia Journal of Geology 59 357–380 Google Scholar
Matthews, J.A. 1980 Some problems and implications of 14C dates from a podzol buried beneath an end moraine at Haugabreen, southern Norway Geografiska Annaler 62A 185–208 Google Scholar
Mayr, F. 1964 Untersuchungen über Ausmass und Folgen der Klima-and Gletscherschwankungen seit dem Beginn der postglacialen wärmzeit Zeitschrift fuer Geomorphologie 8 257–285 Google Scholar
Mayr, F. 1968 Postglacial glacier fluctuations and correlative phenomena in the Stubai Mountains, eastern Alps, Tyrol. Glaciation of the Alps Richmond, G.M. Series in Earth Sciences No. 7 University of Colorado Boulder 167–177 Google Scholar
McKenzie, G.D. Goldthwait, R.P. 1971 Glacial history of the last eleven thousand years in Adams Inlet, southeastern Alaska Geological Society of America Bulletin 82 1767–1782 Google Scholar
Messerli, B. Zumbühl, H.J. Ammann, K. Kienholz, H. Oeschger, H. Pfister, C. Zurbuchen, M. 1975 Die Schwankungen des Unteren Grindelwald-Gletschers seit dem Mittelalter Zeitschrift fuer Gletscherkunde und Glazialgeologie 11 3–110 Google Scholar
Miller, C.D. 1969 Chronology of neoglacial moraines in the Dome Peak area, North Cascade Range, Washington Arctic and Alpine Research 1 49–65 Google Scholar
Miller, G.H. 1973 Late Quaternary glacial and climatic history of northern Cumberland Peninsula, Baffin Island, N.W.T., Canada Quaternary Research 3 561–583 Google Scholar
Miller, G.H. Andrews, J.T. 1972 Quaternary history of northern Cumberland Peninsula, east Baffin Island, N.W.T., Canada. Part IV. Preliminary lichen growth curve for Rhizocarpon geographicum Geological Society of America Bulletin 83 1133–1138 Google Scholar
Nichols, H. 1975 Palynological and Paleoclimatic Study of the Late Quaternary Displacement of the Boreal Forest-Tundra Ecotone in Keewatin and Mackenzie, N.W.T., Canada University of Colorado, Institute of Arctic and Alpine ResearchOccasional Paper No. 15Google Scholar
Nørlund, P. 1924 Buried Norsemen at Herjolfnes Meddelelser om Grønland 67 1 1–270 Google Scholar
Paterson, W.S.B. 1981 The Physics of Glaciers 2nd ed. Pergamon Press Oxford Google Scholar
Patzelt, G. 1974 Holocene variations of glaciers in the Alps Variation du Climat au course du Pleistocene. Colloques Internationaux du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 219, Paris 51–60 Google Scholar
Pfister, C. 1981 An analysis of the Little Ice Age climate in Switzerland and its consequences for agricultural production Wigley, T.M.L. Ingram, M.J. Farmer, G. Climate and History Cambridge Univ. Press Cambridge 214–248 Google Scholar
Plafker, G. Miller, D.J. 1957 Recent history of glaciation in the Malaspina district and adjoining bays, Alaska Geological Society of America Bulletin 68 1909(abstract)Google Scholar
Porter, S.C. 1981 Glaciological evidence of Holocene climatic change Wigley, T.M.L. Ingram, M.J. Farmer, G. Climate and History Cambridge Univ. Press Cambridge 82–110 Google Scholar
Porter, S.C. Denton, G.H. 1967 Chronology of neoglaciation in the North American Cordillera American Journal of Science 265 177–210 Google Scholar
Posamentier, H.W. 1977 A new climatic model for glacier behaviour of the Austrian Alps Journal of Glaciology 18 57–65 Google Scholar
Preston, R.S. Person, E. Deevey, E.S. 1955 Yale natural radiocarbon measurements II Science 122 945–960 Google Scholar
Ralph, E.K. Michael, H.N. Han, M.C. 1973 Radiocarbon dates and reality MASCA Newsletter 9 1–19 Google Scholar
Rampton, V. 1970 Neoglacial fluctuations of the Natazhat and Klutlan glaciers, Yukon Territory, Canada Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 7 1236–1263 Google Scholar
Rampton, V. 1971 Late Quaternary and climatic history of the Snag-Klutlan area, southwestern Yukon Territory, Canada Geological Society of America Bulletin 82 959–978 Google Scholar
Rampton, V.N. 1978 Holocene glacial and tree-line variations in the White River Valley and Skolai Pass, Alaska and Yukon Territory: A discussion Quaternary Research 10 130–134 Google Scholar
Renner, F. 1982 Beträge zur Gletscher-geschichte des Gotthardgebietes und dendroklimatologische Analysen an Fossilen Hölzern Physische Geographie 8 Geographisches Institut der Universität Zurich 1–182 Google Scholar
Röthlisberger, F. 1976 Gletscher- und Klimaschwankungen im Raum Zermatt, Ferpècle and Arolla Die Alpen 52 59–152 Google Scholar
Röthlisberger, F. Haas, P. Holzhauser, H. Keller, W. Bircher, W. Renner, F. 1980 Holocene climatic fluctuations—Radiocarbon dating of fossil soils (fAh) and woods from moraines and glaciers in the Alps Geographica Helvetica 35 5 21–52 Google Scholar
Rubin, M. Alexander, C. 1958 U.S. Geological Survey radiocarbon dates IV Science 127 1476–1487 Google Scholar
Schweingruber, F.H. Braeker, O.U. Schaer, E. 1978 Dendroclimatic studies in Great Britain and in the Alps Evolution des Atmosphères Planétaires et Climatologie de la Terre Centre National d'Études Spatiales Toulouse 369–372 Google Scholar
Sigafoos, R.S. Hendricks, E.L. 1961 Botanical Evidence of the Modern History of Nisqually Glacier, Washington United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 387 B Google Scholar
Sirén, G. 1961 Skogsgränstallen som indikator för klimafluktuationerna i norra Fennoskandien under historisk tid Communicationes Instituti Forestalis Fenniae 54 2 1–66 Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. 1982 A high-precision calibration of the AD radiocarbon time scale Radiocarbon 24 1–26 Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. Quay, P.D. 1980 Changes in atmospheric carbon-14 attributed to a variable sun Science 207 11–19 Google Scholar
Ten Brink, N.W. Weidick, A. 1974 Greenland ice sheet history since the last glaciation Quaternary Research 4 429–440 Google Scholar
Trautman, M.A. Willis, E.H. 1966 Isotopes, Inc. Radiocarbon Measurements V Radiocarbon 8 161–203 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vivian, R. 1975 Les glaciers des Alpes Occidentales Imprimerie Allier Grenoble Google Scholar
Webb, T. III Bryson, R.A. 1972 Late- and post-glacial climatic change in the northern midwest U.S.A.: Quantitative estimates derived from pollen spectra by multivariate statistical analysis Quaternary Research 2 70–115 Google Scholar
Webb, T. III Clark, D.R. 1977 Calibrating micropaleontological data in climatic terms: A critical review Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 288 93–118 Google Scholar
Worsley, P. Alexander, M. 1975 Neoglacial palaeoenvironmental change at Engabrevatn, Svartisen Holandsfjord, north Norway Norges Geologiske Undersoekelse 321 37–66 Google Scholar