Meteorological networks with accurately calibrated
thermometers and rain-gauges started to appear in the
19th century. Changing weather patterns leads to changes
in many variables. For example, trees grow faster when it
is warmer and wetter; different isotopes of oxygen are
produced when it is warmer. Evidence of the changes can
be trapped in trees, ice core, sediments, coral and
stalagmites and used as “proxies” to estimate weather
conditions hundreds and even millions of years ago.
In this section of the website we provide information on
the following proxies for climate change: