ClimateClimate is the long-term weather pattern in a region, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorological variables that are commonly measured are temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, and precipitation.
PrecipitationIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwealth usage), snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. Precipitation occurs when cloud particles become heavy enough that atmospheric motions are insufficient to keep them aloft, such that they "precipitate" or fall.
ClimatologyClimatology (from Greekκλίμα, klima, "slope"; and -λογία, ) or climate science is the scientific study of Earth's climate, typically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of at least 30 years. Climate concerns the atmospheric condition during an extended to indefinite period of time; weather is the condition of the atmosphere during a relative brief period of time.
GeologyScientific study of Earth's physical compositionNot to be confused with Geography.The Grand Canyon, Arizona, in March 2013Geology is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical bodies, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. The name comes from Ancient Greek γῆ (gê) 'earth' and λoγία (-logía) 'study of, discourse'.
InterglacialAn interglacial period (or alternatively interglacial, interglaciation) is a geological interval of warmer global average temperature lasting thousands of years that separates consecutive glacial periods within an ice age. The current Holocene interglacial began at the end of the Pleistocene, about 11,700 years ago.
QuaternarySubdivision of the Quaternary according to the ICS, as of 2024.Vertical axis scale: Millions of years agoEtymologyName formalityFormalUsage informationCelestial bodyEarthRegional usageGlobal (ICS)Time scale(s) usedICS Time ScaleDefinitionChronological unitPeriodStratigraphic unitSystemTime span formalityFormalLower boundary definitionBase of magnetic polarity chronozone C2r (Matuyama)Extinction of the HaptophytesDiscoaster pentaradiatus and Discoaster surculusLower boundary GSSPMonte San Nicola Section, Gela, Sicily, Italy37°08′49″N14°12′13″E / 37.1469°N 14.2035°E / 37.1469; 14.2035Lower GSSP ratified2009 (as base of Quaternary and Pleistocene)Upper boundary definitionPresent dayUpper boundary GSSPN/AUpper GSSP ratifiedN/AAtmospheric and climatic dataMean atmospheric O2 contentc.
HoloceneCurrent geological epochSubdivision of the Holocene according to the ICS, as of 2024.Vertical axis scale: Gregorian yearsEtymologyName formalityFormalUsage informationCelestial bodyEarthRegional usageGlobal (ICS)Time scale(s) usedICS Time ScaleDefinitionChronological unitEpochStratigraphic unitSeriesTime span formalityFormalLower boundary definitionEnd of the Younger Dryasstadial.Lower boundary GSSPNGRIP2 ice core, Greenland75°06′00″N42°19′12″W / 75.1000°N 42.3200°W / 75.1000; -42.3200Lower GSSP ratified2008Upper boundary definitionPresent dayUpper boundary GSSPN/AN/AUpper GSSP ratifiedN/AThe Holocene () is the current geological epoch, beginning approximately 11,700 years ago.
GeomorphologyGeomorphology (from Ancient Greek (gê)'earth', (morphḗ)'form' and (lógos)'study') is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features generated by physical, chemical or biological processes operating at or near Earth's surface.
RiverA river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it runs out of water, or only flow during certain seasons. Rivers are regulated by the water cycle, the processes by which water moves around the Earth.
GlacierPersistent body of ice that moves downhill under its own weightGlacier of the Geikie Plateau in GreenlandThe Taschachferner in the Ötztal Alps in Austria. The mountain to the left is the Wildspitze (3,768 m), the second highest in AustriaThe Baltoro Glacier in Pakistan. It is 62 kilometres (39 mi) long, the fifth longest alpine glacier in the world.A glacier (US: ; UK: or ) is a persistent body of natural ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving under its own weight.
Quaternary glaciationThe Quaternary glaciation, also known as the Pleistocene glaciation, is an alternating series of glacial and interglacial periods during the Quaternary period that began around 2.58 million years ago and is ongoing. Although geologists describe this entire period up to the present as an "ice age", in popular culture this term usually refers to the most recent glacial period, or to the Pleistocene epoch in general.
PleistoceneFirst epoch of the Quaternary PeriodSubdivision of the Quaternary according to the ICS, as of 2024.Vertical axis scale: Millions of years agoEtymologyName formalityFormalUsage informationCelestial bodyEarthRegional usageGlobal (ICS)DefinitionChronological unitEpochStratigraphic unitSeriesTime span formalityFormalLower boundary definitionBase of magnetic polarity chronozone C2r (Matuyama).Extinction of the haptophytesDiscoaster pentaradiatus and Discoaster surculusLower boundary GSSPMonte San Nicola Section, Gela, Sicily, Italy37°08′49″N14°12′13″E / 37.1469°N 14.2035°E / 37.1469; 14.2035Lower GSSP ratified2009 (as base of Quaternary and Pleistocene)Upper boundary definitionEnd of the Younger DryasstadialUpper boundary GSSPNGRIP2 ice core, Greenland75°06′00″N42°19′12″W / 75.1000°N 42.3200°W / 75.1000; -42.3200Upper GSSP ratified2008 (as base of Holocene)The Pleistocene ( ; referred to colloquially as the Ice Age) is the geological epoch that lasted from c. 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations.
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