第四纪气候变化机制研究的进展与问题

自从20世纪50年代海洋沉积氧同位素记录被揭示以来，经典的陆地4次冰期理论被新的认识所取代，人们发现第四纪以来冰期—间冰期旋回远远不止4次，并且从深海沉积和陆地黄土获取的古气候变化记录与地球轨道参数变化可以对比，为揭示第四纪古气候变化机制构建了明确的框架。近年来有关末次冰期不稳定气候事件的揭示也为深入认识古气候变化特征提供了新的证据。然而冰期—间冰期旋回机制、南北半球在冰期—间冰期循环过程中的耦合机制以及气候不稳定事件发生机制仍然是困扰古气候研究者的重大问题。

THE PROBLEMS AND PROGRESS IN THE STUDIES OF MECHANISMS FOR QUATERNARY CLIMATE CHANGES

Since 1950's when Emiliani obtained the first curve of the oxygen isotope records in the deep ocean sediments, the classical glaciation hypothesis developed by Penck had been replaced by the new discoveries which, by the works of Emiliani and of Shakeleton, demonstrated that during Quaternary period the cycles of glacial interglacial were much more than four times. The correspondence between the paleoclimate records from deep ocean sediments as well as continental loess and the earth orbital parameters have established a solid framework for the study of climate change mechanisms. In recent years, the new discoveries including climatic instability during last glacial period have provided an opportunity to study the characteristics and mechanisms of the millennial scale climate changes. However, paleoclimatologists are still puzzled by the climate change mechanisms concerning the devolopment of glacial interglacial cycles, the symchronic climate changes between Northern and Southern Hemisphere, and the operation of the climate instability.