xi, 274 pages : 25 cm

Includes bibliographical references (pages 220-270) and index

1. Introduction -- 2. The Warm Mode: early Cambrian to late Ordovician. Age and distribution of the latest Precambrian glaciation. Lithological indicators. Other indicators. Evidence of climates from palaeontology. Other factors possibly relating to climate. Chronology of the Warm Mode -- 3. The Cool Mode: late Ordovidan to early Silurian. Distribution and age of the glacials. Palaeolatitude of the glaciations. Other sedimentary indicators. Palaeontological indicators. Chronology of the Cool Mode. Other factors bearing on climate -- 4. The Warm Mode: late Silurian to early Carboniferous. Trends from oxygen isotopes. Distribution of lithological indicators. Late Devonian and early Carboniferous glaciation. Palaeontological indicators. Chronology of the Warm Mode. Other factors bearing on climate -- 5. The Cool Mode: early Carboniferous to late Permian. Distribution and age of the glacials. Palaeolatitudes of the glacials. Other climatic indicators. Rhythmic sedimentation. Other sedimentary indicators. Palaeontological indicators. Chronology of the Cool Mode. Other factors bearing on climate -- 6. The Warm Mode: late Permian to middle Jurassic. Oxygen isotopes. Biogenic reefs and carbonate abundance and distribution. Variations in humidity. Evidence of climates from palaeontology. Other factors possibly related to climate. Chronology of the Warm Mode -- 7. The Cool Mode: middle Jurassic to early Cretaceous. Geological setting. Ocean temperatures. Ocean faunal realms. The carbon record. Evidence of ice. Climate significance of fossil floras. Clay minerals and climate change. Seasonal climates. Chronology of the Cool Mode -- 8. The Warm Mode: late Cretaceous to early Tertiary. Sea-level fluctuations and circulation. Ocean temperatures. Organic-rich sediments. Land temperatures. Chronology of the Warm Mode -- 9. The Cenozoic Cool Mode: early Eocene to late Miocene. The onset of polar glaciation. Ocean records. The carbon record. Ocean faunas. Tectonic events. Continental climates. Chronology of the Cool Mode -- 10. The Late Cenozoic Cool Mode: late Miocene to Holocene. Summary of marine climates from oxygen isotopes. Late Neogene climates. Quaternary climatic events. Late Quaternary climatic history -- 11. Causes and chronology of climate change. The search for cyclical climate change. The development of Cool Modes. The onset of Warm Modes. The carbon record in Warm and Cool Modes. Climate forcing. Conclusions

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