Last Glacial Maximum

The extent of future climate change is predicted with computer models. The ability of models to simulate past climate extremes increases our confidence in their ability to predict the future. The Last Glacial Maximum (or LGM) represents a global climate state dramatically different from that of today, and thus provides a useful test of climate model predictions. According to EPILOG the Last Glacial Maximum has been defined to cover the period from 23,000 – 19,000 yrs B.P. and refers to the time of maximum extent of the ice sheets during the last glaciation (the Würm or Wisconsin glaciation). Furthermore the LGM


  • is reasonably close to an equilibrium state of climate,
  • boundary conditions such as continental geography, orbital configurations, atmospheric pCO2, sea level, ice area, and ice-sheet heights are well known,
  • the LGM interval is within the range of both 14C and U-Th dating