In a recent study, scientists have discovered that the tropics and mid-latitudes experienced significant temperature drops during the last ice age, which were driven by the same low atmospheric carbon dioxide levels as the glaciations. This finding challenges the previous assumption that the lower-latitude drops were not as drastic as those in the higher latitudes.
Tropics and Mid-Latitudes Experienced Significant Temperature Drops
The study revealed that the tropics and mid-latitudes experienced temperature declines of up to 5-10°C during the last ice age, which were driven by the same low atmospheric carbon dioxide levels that caused glaciation at higher latitudes. This contradicts the previous assumption that the lower-latitude temperature drops were not as severe as those in the higher latitudes.
Implications of the Findings
These findings have important implications for our understanding of the global climate system and the drivers of past climate changes. The study suggests that low atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were a major factor in driving temperature declines across a much broader geographic range than previously thought, with significant impacts on the tropics and mid-latitudes as well as the higher latitudes.