Jääytimiä

Jääytimiä, often translated as ice cores, are invaluable archives of Earth's past climate. These long, cylindrical samples are extracted from glaciers and ice sheets, primarily in polar regions like Antarctica and Greenland, and also from high-altitude glaciers. They contain layers of ice that have accumulated over thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of years.

The ice itself is a frozen record, trapping atmospheric gases, dust, volcanic ash, and other particulates as it forms. Scientists can analyze the composition of these trapped substances to reconstruct past atmospheric conditions, including temperature, greenhouse gas concentrations, and even the frequency of natural disasters like volcanic eruptions. The bubbles of ancient air trapped within the ice provide direct samples of the atmosphere from different time periods. By studying the isotopic composition of the water molecules in the ice, researchers can determine past temperatures.

Jääytimiä are crucial for understanding natural climate variability, the impact of human activities on the atmosphere, and for developing more accurate climate models. The longest ice cores can extend back over 800,000 years, offering an unprecedented glimpse into Earth's long-term climate history. Their analysis helps scientists to better comprehend the complex interactions within the climate system and to predict future climate change.