Quantifying Earth system feedbacks based on rapid climate changes in the past
File(s)
Author(s)
Liu, Mengmeng
Type
Thesis
Abstract
Rapid warmings in the last glacial period, known as Dansgaard-Oeschger (D-O) events, are potentially valuable in quantifying Earth system feedbacks on a centennial scale. Using a combination of ice-core records, fossil pollen records and simulations, this thesis has successfully quantified the climate feedbacks involving three greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) and the land-surface albedo (due to vegetation, snow and their interactions) during D-O events. The total feedback was found to have a large gain approaching or even exceeding 1, which prompted the development of a new theory about D-O cycles.
Version
Open Access
Date Issued
2025-10-05
Date Awarded
2026-03-01
Copyright Statement
Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-NC)
License URL
Advisor
Prentice, Iain Colin
Harrison, Sandy P.
Sponsor
Lee Family Scholarship
Publisher Department
Department of Life Sciences
Publisher Institution
Imperial College London
Qualification Level
Doctoral
Qualification Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)