Abstract

Raymond S. Bradley provides his readers with a comprehensive and up-to-date review of all of the important methods used in paleoclimatic reconstruction, dating and paleoclimate modeling. Two comprehensive chapters on dating methods provide the foundation for all paleoclimatic studies and are followed by up-to-date coverage of ice core research, continental geological and biological records, pollen analysis, radiocarbon dating, tree rings and historical records. New methods using alkenones in marine sediments and coral studies are also described. Paleoclimatology, Second Edition, is an essential textbook for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying climatology, paleoclimatology and paleooceanography worldwide, as well as a valuable reference for lecturers and researchers, appealing to archaeologists and scientists interested in environmental change.
* Contains two up-to-date chapters on dating methods
* Consists of the latest coverage of ice core research, marine sediment and coral studies, continental geological and biological records, pollen analysis, tree rings, and historical records
* Describes the newest methods using alkenones in marine sediments and long continental pollen records
* Addresses all important methods used in paleoclimatic reconstruction
* Includes an extensive chapter on the use of models in paleoclimatology
* Extensive and up-to-date bibliography
* Illustrated with numerous comprehensive figure captions
"This thorough, well referenced text will prove to be indispensable to anyone involved in the study of past and current climate change and modeling."
-SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST, 2005
Praise for the First Edition
"[The first edition of Quaternary Paleoclimatology] is THE REFERENCE FOR QUATERNARY PALEOCLIMATES, especially for dating, methodologies, and an overview of our knowledge of the history and evolution of Quaternary environments. Ray Bradley is uniquely situated to undertake this second edition because of his broad knowledge...and his recent and current leadership roles in the national and international research community, which ensures that he is totally up to date."
-J. Kutzbach, Center for Climatic Research, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MADISON
"There is no question about the author's competence as a paleoclimatologist [or] his ability to complete the task.... The book [is] a comprehensive compilation of approaches to paleoclimatology.... The approaches and methods employed for Quaternary studies are well covered in the book."
- J.P. Kennett, Chair, Department of Geological Sciences, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA (letter; February 2, 1998)