1995: An Important Inflection Point in Recent Geophysical History

Abstract

A review of the geophysical literature reveals that a number of environmental systems changed rapidly in 1995 or shortly thereafter. A sudden jump in mid-ocean seismic activity initiated a cascade of changes to the thermohaline circulation, global temperatures, snow and ice cover in the Arctic, monsoon dynamics, El Niño characteristics, and dip pole movement. Acting in concert, there is a high probability that these changes drove global temperatures higher and have enabled global temperatures to remain elevated for the past 24 years.