Milankovitch, Milutin
Milutin Milankovitch (1879-1958), a Serbian astrophysicist and geophysicist best known for his theory of ice ages, relating variations of the Earth's orbit and long-term climate change, now known as Milankovitch cycles. These ideas were derived from improved methods of calculating variations in Earth's eccentricity, precession, and tilt through time (1920s). Milankovitch also developed an astronomical climate theory around these proposed forcing functions. Although Milankovitch cycles do appear to explain some aspects of long-term climate change, they do not fully account for all of the observed changes. Scientists now attribute some of this change in climate to humanmade emissions of greenhouse gases.
Further Reading
- NASA Earth Observatory. On the Shoulder of Giants: Milutin Milankovitch (1879-1958).
- NOAA Paleoclimatology Program. Astronomical Theory of Climate Change.
Citation
Cleveland, Cutler (Lead Author); Peter Saundry (Topic Editor). 2008. "Milankovitch, Milutin." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth September 15, 2006; Last revised August 21, 2008; Retrieved November 26, 2008]. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Milankovitch,_Milutin>