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Atmosphere, Climate, and Change (Scientific American Library Series)

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Changes in climate have been important determinants in evolution on Earth. As well as dealing with contemporary climate issues, this reference also describes how data from rocks, ice cores, ocean sediments, etc. is used to deduce the history of the planet's history of climate. This reference gives atmospheric O2 as a percent of present value at 1% at 2 billion years B.P., 10% at 700 million years B.P. and 100% at 350 million years B.P. Ice ages are given at 2.3 billion years B.P., 950 million years B.P., 820 - 730 million years B.P., 640 - 580 million years B.P., brief glaciation at 430 million years B.P. (immediately followed by evolution of land plants), warming of Earth by decrease of reflection sunlight because of plant cover, approx. 300 million years B.P. glaciation probably due to continental drift of largest continents along paths near poles, then warm climate through the Mesozoic and into the Cenozoic until 30 million years B.P. with glaciations periodically until present.