Lake Sediment Core Model

Part of Hall of Planet Earth.

Two sediment cores in the Hall of Planet Earth. Arrow points to the core on the left. AMNH/D. Finnin

Lake El’gygytgyn, Russia | 420,000–378,000 years ago

This model of represents part of a 3.6-million year sediment record from far northeastern Siberia, Russia. Pollen and other indicators in this section show the end of one of the warmest periods in the record. Atmospheric CO2 rose gradually, but never reached present-day levels. Even so, the Arctic was about as warm as it is now, suggesting that the region can respond dramatically to even small changes.

Courtesy of the Lake El’gygytgyn Drilling Project, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

 

Photo showing two sediment cores in the Hall of Planet Earth with an arrow pointing to sediment core on the right.
AMNH/D. Finnin