The evolution of climate

Charles Ernest Pelham Brooks, who died at Ferring, Sussex on 14 December 1957, at the comparatively early age of 69, was a great and distinguished climatologist, giving special attention to the study of climatic changes on the historical and geological time scales. His professional life of many-sided activities was identified with the Meteorological Office, but to members of the British Glaciological Society he will be best remembered for his researches on ice sheets and the theory of Ice Ages.

In his monumental work, Climate through the Ages, Brooks shows by powerful reasoning, reinforced with considerable mathematical skill, that glacial epochs can be brought about solely by geographical factors. This seems in open conflict with Sir George Simpson’s solar radiation theory of Ice Ages, which was revived with masterly logic in the issue of the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society for October 1957 and is to be extended later on a more quantitative basis. It may well be, however, that when the two points of view can be properly co-ordinated a measure of reconciliation between them will be found. Certainly this important issue will be watched with interest as the years go on.

Brooks’ last book, The English Climate, a most informative and pleasantly written volume, appeared as recently as 1954. Soon afterwards, however, his health began to fail and it seems likely that the immense output of work which he accomplished through many years had worn him out somewhat prematurely.