page_title: Milankovich cycle
hierarchical_section_title: Milankovich cycle
caption_attribution_description: English: Cyclic deposits, almost certainly of a Milankovich cycle origin, from the Tabernas Desert of southern Spain. Prominent beds are approx. ½ m in width.
context_page_description: Milankovitch cycles are small, slow but regular changes in the Earth's orbit round the Sun, and the tilt of the Earth's axis.
  The dynamics are complex. The changes affect the 'insolation'. This leads to cycles of climate on Earth, at about 21,000, 41,000 years, 100,000 and 400,000 years. This whole field is still under active research.
  Using applied mathematics, Milanković predicted that variations in eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession of the Earth's orbit caused climate patterns on Earth.
  Similar astronomical theories had been advanced in the 19th century by Joseph Adhemar, James Croll and others. However, there was at first no reliable dated evidence. The issue was not settled until deep-ocean cores were taken and a paper published in Science in 1976.
context_section_description: Milankovitch cycles are small, slow but regular changes in the Earth's orbit round the Sun, and the tilt of the Earth's axis.
  The dynamics are complex. The changes affect the 'insolation' (sunlight falling on parts of the Earth). This leads to cycles of climate on Earth, at about 21,000, 41,000 years, 100,000 and 400,000 years. This whole field is still under active research.
  Using applied mathematics, Milanković predicted that variations in eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession of the Earth's orbit caused climate patterns on Earth.
  Similar astronomical theories had been advanced in the 19th century by Joseph Adhemar, James Croll and others. However, there was at first no reliable dated evidence. The issue was not settled until deep-ocean cores were taken and a paper published in Science in 1976.
caption: The nature of sediments can vary in a cyclic fashion, and these cycles can be displayed in the sedimentary record. Here, cycles can be seen in the colour of different strata
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