Final answer:
A climate perturbation is a significant deviation from the normal climate system, caused by factors such as volcanic eruptions or changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. Orbital forcing refers to the influence of Earth's orbit on climate, with cyclic changes impacting global climate patterns over long periods of time.
Step-by-step explanation:
A climate perturbation refers to a disturbance or change in the climate system that significantly deviates from the normal or expected state. It can be caused by various factors such as volcanic eruptions, changes in greenhouse gas concentrations, or variations in solar radiation. These perturbations can result in alterations in temperature patterns, precipitation levels, and weather conditions, leading to regional or global climate change.
Orbital forcing, on the other hand, refers to the influence of Earth's orbit on climate. Earth's orbit undergoes cyclic changes known as Milankovitch cycles, which include variations in eccentricity, obliquity, and precession. These cycles can affect the amount and distribution of solar radiation that reaches Earth's surface, consequently impacting global climate patterns over thousands to hundreds of thousands of years.