Paleotemperature refers to the temperature conditions in past geological periods, reconstructed from various proxies such as ice cores, tree rings, and isotopic compositions in sediments. This information is crucial for understanding past climate variability, the Earth’s thermal history, and the factors influencing global temperatures over geological time.
Reference: Bradley, R. S. (1999). “Paleoclimatology: Reconstructing Climates of the Quaternary.” Academic Press.