Credit to WattsUpWithThat for the info and the "clamatology", but the essence of the story is this. Scientists have found a more accurate way of measuring past temperature changes than the controversial tree ring method - using old clam shells.
By slicing thin cross sections they can determine water conditions and temperatures when the shellfish were alive. They found proof of a Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age. Here's the graph that results:
Yeah nothing quite like disparaging scientific studies willy-nilly UNTIL you find one that suits....
The data is from a single Icelandic bay. Not a global signal.
The author says “What we’re getting to here is palaeoweather.” Weather ain’t climate, right Ian?
And the presented data stops at 1600 AD, well before reliable direct temperature measurements were available or the onset of what some people call Global Warming.
Nevertheless it sounds interesting. The reality community will, as always, wait to see how it's recieved and how it holds up under scrutiny / deeper analysis.
Posted by: CM | March 12, 2010 at 01:53 PM
Evidence of a global signal, found also in New Zealand
AGU published research paper, "Evidence for a ‘Medieval Warm Period’ in a 1,100 year tree-ring reconstruction of past austral summer temperatures in New Zealand". Looks like it had world wide effect.
http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/twimberley/EnviroPhilo/CookPalmer.pdf
Chris Shaker
Posted by: Chris Shaker | February 22, 2012 at 09:46 PM