  Based on suggested interactions of potential tipping elements in the Earth's
climate and in ecological systems, tipping cascades as possible dynamics are
increasingly discussed and studied as their activation would impose a
considerable risk for human societies and biosphere integrity. However, there
are ambiguities in the description of tipping cascades within the literature so
far. Here we illustrate how different patterns of multiple tipping dynamics
emerge from a very simple coupling of two previously studied idealized tipping
elements. In particular, we distinguish between a two phase cascade, a domino
cascade and a joint cascade. While a mitigation of an unfolding two phase
cascade may be possible and common early warning indicators are sensitive to
upcoming critical transitions to a certain degree, the domino cascade may
hardly be stopped once initiated and critical slowing down--based indicators
fail to indicate tipping of the following element. These different potentials
for intervention and anticipation across the distinct patterns of multiple
tipping dynamics should be seen as a call to be more precise in future analyses
on cascading dynamics arising from tipping element interactions in the Earth
system.
