stadial

Definitions

adjective Of or relating to discrete stages of development.
noun A comparatively brief period of climatic cooling during an interglacial, often characterized by glacial advances.

adjective geology Pertaining to a glacial stade.
adjective archaeology, sociology Pertaining to or existing in successive stages of a given culture, society etc.
noun geology A short, colder period within an interglacial; a stade.

[stadi(um) + –al.]

From Latin stadiālis, from stadium.

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Thompson stated that dating was based on: “We used the apparent correlation between atmospheric CH4 levels and stadial and interstadial events inferred from d18O values”.

More Guliya Mess « Climate Audit 2006
The Mongol military system was based on a stadial structure of unitsin garrisons spread around the countrythat was much more centralized than the tribal divisions of the Khitans and Jurchens.

1260 2001
The Younger Dryas stadial stretched between 12,800 and

Softpedia News - Global Tudor Vieru 2010
It also suggests that an intensified hydrological cycle may lead to a weaker overturning circulation with a smaller disruption threshold and extended North Atlantic stadial durations.

Naturejobs - All Jobs V. Margari 2010
Based on elevated concentrations of a set of "impact markers" at the onset of the Younger Dryas stadial from sedimentary contexts across North America, Firestone, Kennett,

Anthropology.net 2009
The scariest thing is neoglaciation, i.e. the return to Ice Age stadial temperatures.

Watts Up With That? 2009
It has been proposed that the warmings before and after the YD can be viewed as Dansgaard-Oeschger events with the YD just a regular cold (i.e. stadial) phase in between (Rahmstorf

RealClimate Nigel Williams 2010