Antarctica before ice sheets: polar climate history of past greenhouse worlds

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This project aims to document Antarctic climate behaviour during 'greenhouse' periods of the past 50 million years in the lead-up to large-scale ice-sheet development. Fundamental questions will be addressed regarding both long- and short-term Antarctic climate variability in time intervals with higher-than-present CO2 levels. Were there phases of cooling and extensive ice accumulation in Antarctica during hypothesized warm 'greenhouse' periods? If so, did small ice sheets or coastal glaciers persist for long periods of time or were they ephemeral?