Milankovitch theory

Theory which explains the occurrence of ice ages over the last million years as the result of long-term variations in the Earth's orbital parameters. These parameters are the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit, the obliquity of global rotation, and the precession of the equinoxes. The insolation at a particular latitude and time of year are determined by these parameters. The theory predicts that a glacial cycle can begin only when there are successive cold summers at high latitudes.