Dust at end of Glaciation Periods ???

[Prime-Evil]

I would like to better understand the dust that seems to appear at the end of glaciation periods according to the record gleaned from core samples.

 

What is the origin of this dust? I have some theories that it is volcanic and others that it is cosmic. I am wondering if it has more to due with weather, that at some point desert sand or dust from glacial till gets stirred up and deposited on top of the ice caps, which increases warming and thuse perhaps more melting and more stirring up of dust and a positive feedback cycle initiating or accellerating an interglacial period? Of course this dust ends up being buried under more snow and ice.

 

I don't think this has much relevance to what's happening at this time, the beginning of a super interglacial period, except perhaps to better understand why dust appears to precede CO2 rise at the end of glacial periods.

 

Any other thoughts on the dust found in ice core samples?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_core

[insane_alien]

Okay, so you have lots and lots of rocks being crunched, pulverised and ripped appart by thousands of millions of tonnes of ice that suddenly (geologically) melts and drys so you have a lot of rock dust hanging around and vegetation hasn't started to regrow yet.

 

Think about it. lots of fine, dry dust particles with nothing holding them together. add a little wind and you got your answer.