Milankovitch Cycles describe long-term changes in Earth's orbital eccentricity, axial tilt (obliquity), and precession. These astronomical variations alter the...
Milankovitch Cycles are cyclical changes in Earth's orbit around the Sun, specifically variations in its eccentricity (shape), axial tilt (obliquity), and precession (wobble), which influence the amount and distribution of solar energy received.
By changing the intensity and location of solar radiation received, especially at high latitudes, these cycles act as a primary natural pacemaker for Earth's glacial and interglacial periods over tens to hundreds of thousands of years.
No. While they drive long-term natural climate shifts, the rapid global warming observed since the industrial revolution is overwhelmingly attributed to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, not these gradual astronomical cycles.
The three main types are Eccentricity (the shape of Earth's orbit, ~100,000-year cycle), Obliquity (the tilt of Earth's axis, ~41,000-year cycle), and Precession (the wobble of Earth's axis, ~23,000-year cycle).