Final answer:
Measured properties from Antarctic ice cores include trapped air bubbles and biological evidence that provide temperature and carbon dioxide data, used to analyze Earth's past climate. Scientists use these properties to reconstruct historical atmospheric concentrations and temperature changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Measured properties from ice cores include a variety of physical and chemical data that provide insights into Earth's climatic history. The ice cores extracted from polar regions such as Antarctica hold trapped air bubbles and biological substances that allow researchers to glean information on past atmospheric compositions, including temperature and carbon dioxide levels. By examining the concentration of gases like CO₂ as well as isotopes such as deuterium, scientists can reconstruct a timeline of Earth's climate, analyzing patterns and variations over hundreds of thousands of years.
Through the analysis of ice cores, researchers determine not only the atmospheric conditions of the past but also the changes in temperature relative to the modern day. These ice cores also offer clues about past life on Earth, as the biological evidence included within the ice can show how life had to adapt to environmental changes. Instruments like those of the MESSENGER spacecraft have even unveiled the presence of water ice and organic compounds in extraterrestrial environments, further expanding our understanding of the universe.