proxy

climatology

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July 20, 2026

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Proxies are indirect sources of information used to reconstruct past climates, especially before the mid-19th century when direct instrumental records became available. These proxies include natural archives like ocean and lake sediments, pollen grains, corals, ice cores, and tree rings.12

By analyzing these proxies, scientists can infer past climate conditions such as temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric composition. For example, tree rings and ice cores can provide yearly or even seasonal climate data, while sediment cores offer broader, long-term trends. These reconstructions are crucial for understanding long-term climatic variations and changes, helping scientists to better comprehend current climate change.12

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Little Ice Age
Geographic extent
Information obtained from “proxy records” (indirect records of ancient climatic conditions, such as ice cores, cores of lake sediment and coral, and annual growth rings in trees) as well as historical documents dating to the Little Ice Age period indicate that cooler conditions appeared in some regions, but,…
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Information obtained from “proxy records” (indirect records of ancient climatic conditions, such as ice cores, cores of lake sediment and coral, and annual growth rings in trees) as well as historical documents dating to the Little Ice Age period indicate that cooler conditions appeared in some regions, but,…
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medieval warm period
Level and extent of warming
…measures of climate (including “climate proxies” such as tree rings, ice cores, and sediment cores). Many such studies suggest that Europe’s Middle Ages did see several multiyear stretches of relatively pleasant conditions and reliable weather. There is little evidence that such conditions prevailed on a global scale, however. Indeed, some…
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…measures of climate (including “climate proxies” such as tree rings, ice cores, and sediment cores). Many such studies suggest that Europe’s Middle Ages did see several multiyear stretches of relatively pleasant conditions and reliable weather. There is little evidence that such conditions prevailed on a global scale, however. Indeed, some…
Read More