Question

The AMO, or Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, has warmer and cooler phases occurring on a cycle of twenty to ______ years.

Answer 1

The AMO has warmer and cooler phases on a cycle of twenty to forty years. It's integral to understand past climate anomalies like the Medieval Climate Anomaly and the Little Ice Age to comprehend current climate changes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The AMO, or Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, has warmer and cooler phases occurring on a cycle of twenty to forty years. Understanding climate patterns like the AMO is crucial for interpreting historical climate anomalies and current climate change. For instance, the Medieval Climate Anomaly, which occurred between 900 and 1300 AD, is one such period where average temperatures were slightly warmer by about 0.10 °C to 0.20 °C. This marginal increase in temperature facilitated the Vikings' ability to colonize Greenland by melting ice in the seas. In contrast, the Little Ice Age marked a period of cooling that affected various parts of the world, and these historic temperature variations have been important for understanding the forces driving our current climate.