Eccentricity

What do the Milankovitch Cycles do?

• they influence the distribution and intensity of solar radiation received by the sun

• Drive change between glacial and inter-glacial periods

• They work with greenhouse gasses and volcanic activity to cause drastic change

What is eccentricity

• It is the shape of the earths orbit around the sun

• Changes from more circular to more elliptical over 100,000 years

• Linked to glacial and inter-glacial periods

What happens when eccentricity is more elliptical?

• there is larger variation in solar radiation between perihelion and aphelion.

• This causes more pronounced seasonal differences

What happens when eccentricity is more circular?

• Results in less variation in solar radiation, leading to a more stable climate