User:Mark Buchanan/sandbox/Glaciation-WIP
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This page is about generic geological periods of temperature reduction and extensive glaciation. For the most recent glacial period commonly referred to as the Ice Age, see Last glacial period. For information related to glaciers in general, see Glacier. For the study of glaciers, see Glaciology. For other uses, see Mark Buchanan/sandbox/Glaciation-WIP (disambiguation).
An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Within a long-term ice age, individual pulses of cold climate are termed "glacial periods" (or alternatively "glacials" or "glaciations" or colloquially as "ice age"), and intermittent warm periods are called "interglacials". Glaciologically, ice age implies the presence of extensive ice sheets in the northern and southern hemispheres.[1] Earth is currently in an interglacial period - the holocene, of the Quaternary glaciation. Glaciologist use different terms for long periods of glaciation including glacio-epochs.[2]