CO2 Concentration Tops 400ppm for the First Time in Human History

In summary, the Keeling curve shows that atmospheric CO2 levels are rising at unprecedented rates, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels over the past two centuries. The curve, pioneered in 1958 by scientist Charles D. Keeling, is the longest-running tally of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and is maintained by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. The data are analyzed daily and report by week, month, 6 months, 1 year, 2 year, and 60 years.
  • #1
Esnas
27
0
This was described by Michael E. Mann,professor of meteorology at Penn State University.
http://www.meteo.psu.edu/holocene/public_html/Mann/news/interviews.php

Others have had readings that give similar results.

"While scientists and environmentalists have used the daily milestone to highlight the buildup of greenhouse gases generated by human activities, it's the rate of rise that is most important.

That rate, measured by the Keeling Curve, shows atmospheric CO2 levels are rising at unprecedented rates, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels over the past two centuries. The curve, pioneered in 1958 by scientist Charles D. Keeling, is the longest-running tally of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and is maintained by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. Readings there hit 399.46 Saturday.
The weekly average reading at Mauna Loa was 399.52 last week, up nearly 22 points from a decade ago, according to the NOAA.

Many scientists have warned that carbon dioxide readings must be brought down to 350 ppm to avoid severe climate impacts and stall "feedback loops" that will exacerbate the rise.
Current ratios of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere remain at levels not seen in more than 3 million years, when sea levels were as much as 80 feet higher than current levels.
For the previous 800,000 years, CO2 levels never exceeded 300 ppm, and there is no known geologic period in which rates of increase have been so sharp. The level was about 280 ppm at the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, when the burning of fossil fuels began to soar."


The Keeling curve data are taken in bottles of air samples daily at Mauna Loa, Hawaii by scientists from the
UCal @San Diego and the CO2 analysis is made. The data are analyzed daily and report by week, month, 6 months, 1 year, 2 year, and 60 years, when the pioneered in 1958 by scientist Charles D. Keeling and is the longest-running tally of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and is maintained by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego.

With this in mind (the Keeling Curve), the rate of rise is bound to be significantly effected by the expansion of the Alberta Tar Sands (Athabasca Tar Sands). This does not bode too well for us and the environment since the reserves are estimated to be at least 2 trillion barrels (worth trillions of dollars)! Any comments?
 
Earth sciences news on Phys.org
  • #3
famous chart courtesy of http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/

co2_trend_mlo.png



Myself i'll not worry so long as the trend remains cyclic with alternating periods of negative and positive slope..
The annual downslope shows that Mother Nature has plenty of braking power available to intervene. She arrests the increase every spring.

That black line is roughly the integral of red one.

Were one to instead differentiate red line you'd get something resembling a square wave. Its duty cycle is the thing to keep an eye on because that controls the slope of the black integral line.

just my 2 cents, as an automatic controls guy.
 

What does it mean that CO2 concentration has topped 400ppm for the first time?

It means that the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has reached a level of 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in recorded human history. This is a significant milestone as it indicates a rapid increase in greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming and climate change.

Why is this milestone concerning?

This milestone is concerning because it shows that human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, are releasing excessive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This can lead to a variety of negative impacts on the environment, including rising sea levels, more frequent and severe natural disasters, and disruptions to ecosystems and biodiversity.

How does this milestone compare to previous CO2 levels?

The last time the Earth's atmosphere had 400ppm of CO2 was approximately 3 million years ago during the Pliocene Epoch. This was a time when global temperatures were significantly higher and sea levels were around 20 meters higher than they are today. This milestone also marks a significant increase from pre-industrial levels, which were around 280ppm.

What are the potential consequences of reaching 400ppm of CO2?

Some potential consequences of reaching 400ppm of CO2 include more frequent and severe heat waves and extreme weather events, ocean acidification, loss of Arctic sea ice, and disruptions to global food production. These impacts can have far-reaching effects on human health, economies, and the environment.

What can be done to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere?

To reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere, individuals and governments can take actions such as reducing carbon emissions from transportation and industry, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and protecting and restoring natural carbon sinks like forests and oceans. It will also be important for countries to work together on international agreements and policies to address climate change and reduce global CO2 levels.

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