Channel 4 news, Stall. used in climate research

[Slug]

Just seen this on channel 4 news, a report on the work of Durham University climatologists who are using stall from a Polish cave to determine past weather patterns, and, hopefully future ones too.

http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/using+the+past+to+forecast+the+future/3189462

 

[graham]

That sort of research has been done by the likes of Pete Smart and Andy Baker in the UK for some time now.

 

[LarryFatcat]

Same report with a film.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/science_technology/can+stalagmites+predict+climate+change/3189862

 

[caving_fox]

It's remarkably difficult. I looked into this for a research presentation, combining hobby and work.

You can make measure stal growth over time, and record periods of faster and slower depostion. These might relate to wetter and drier climates or they might not. The wetter periods might relate to hotter damper climates or colder wetter ones - and unfortunetly it is very difficult to tell which. The O16/O18 ratio changes depending on the source of the water, rain sea ice evaporation, stuff like that. But predicting which way it changes isn't yet clear, the variables don't all move in the same direction.

It is a tool in the box. But I certainly wouldn't take seriously any climate predictions based solely on stal data.

 

[exsumper]

What sort of stall is it,is it one selling stal?.