How Do Scientists Measure Changes In The Levels Of Global Atmospheric Co2

Carbon In the Atmosphere

CO2 - and then and now!

Provenance: NASA
Reuse: This detail is in the public domain and maybe reused freely without brake.

Part C: Keeping track of CO_ii in today's atmosphere

In Lab 3B, you observed that changes in the global carbon cycle can operate at very long time scales associated with past ice ages. In this department, you volition investigate recent trends in changes in atm CO₂ over much shorter time scales of years to decades. First, have a few minutes to examine the graph on the right. Click to enlarge.

Checking In

How does the current trend of atm CO₂ since 1950 compare to atm CO₂ over the past 650,000 years?

Variations and trends are important patterns that scientists wait for in circuitous systems

Long-term time series data are important to scientists who study circuitous systems such as climate and the carbon cycle. Fourth dimension serial data taken at equal time intervals often generate important trends that help explain the beliefs of a system over time. Scientists use trends to understand the past, the present and to predict the future. Long-term trends can emerge from data that is oft quite variable and operates at very different time and spatial scales. You lot accept already seen examples of this variability when you analyzed CO₂ and temperature information from the Vostok ice cores.

To help yous empathize the difference between trend and variation, watch the video below:

If the video does not play, lookout here: Trend and Variation - YouTube

Watching Globe Exhale: Seasonal changes in vegetation and CO₂

Different components of a complex organisation such as the carbon bike can operate over many unlike time scales and spatial scales. For example, NASA has detected seasonal changes in atm CO_two concentration measured by AIRS and in vegetation growth measured by another instrument on the Aqua satellite called MODIS. NASA has used the data from AIRS and MODIS to create a year long animation of these seasonal changes in CO₂ and vegetation. Before you watch the NASA blitheness below, make note of the following:

• CO₂ in the atmosphere is represented past the colour orange. The deeper the orange, the greater the amount of CO_two.
• Changes in vegetation growth is represented by the colour light-green. The deeper the green, the denser the vegetation.
• You tin pause the animation by clicking on the date (example SEPT 01) or by clicking intermission.
• It helps to first pay careful attention to what the vegetation is doing and then pay attention to what CO_ii is doing.
• Recollect that vegetation and photosynthesis are linked.

Note: Yous can also view this video animation at NASA Viz: A Sky for All Seasons which has groundwork information and an accompanying audio. Scroll down to the second image and click to scout and listen.

Discuss

With a grouping or with the class, talk over the following:

• What patterns in atm CO₂ and vegetation over time tin can you observe in this animation? Listing all that you lot can.
• On what fourth dimension scales are the changes in atm CO₂ and vegetation changing?
• How practise the spatial scales of atm CO₂ and vegetation differ between the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere? What might account for those differences? Hint: Retrieve virtually differences in land mass.
• Explain how a seasonal change in vegetation and photosynthesis can drive a seasonal change in levels of atm CO_ii.
• Did you observe whatsoever long-term trend(s) in concentrations of CO_two in the animation?

Mauna Loa Observatory

The Keeling Curve reveals seasonal patterns and a decadal tendency in atm CO₂

As the leading greenhouse gas, atm CO₂ is the about closely studied and measured gas in our atmosphere. In the 1950s, the United States Air Strength studied atm CO_ii as part of their Cold War missile program. In 1958, regular measurements of atm CO₂ began when a young geochemist named Charles Keeling collected and analyzed samples of CO₂ on top of the Mauna Loa volcano on the Island of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. When analyzing his atm CO₂ data, Dr. Keeling discovered some interesting patterns in CO₂ and a worrisome trend. Watch the video below on Charles Keeling and his data. As you watch, pay attention to the design of variations in CO_2.

NOTE: You tin also watch this video hither: Keeling's Bend: The Story of CO_two on Vimeo

Side by side, use the animation beneath to investigate Keeling's atm CO₂ information in greater depth. As y'all become through the animation:

• Keep in mind what you lot have already learned about the seasonality of the carbon cycle and its relationship to vegetation and photosynthesis.
• At the end of the Animation there is a More Info screen where y'all volition find hints to understanding Dr. Keeling'south information. You can too find a link to the virtually contempo monthly average CO₂ data measured from Mauna Loa below.
• atm CO₂ is measured in ppm—or parts per 1000000 per book. Watch this visualization of 392 ppm of carbon dioxide molecules compared to nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the atmosphere to aid y'all understand ppm.

Data from Mauna Loa Observatory & NOAA's ESRL; Developer: Candace Dunlap, TERC; Blitheness Programmer: Lenni Armstrong, informmotion

Discuss

With a peer or grouping, discuss the following:

• Draw the blueprint of variations that emerged from Keeling'due south CO₂ information. Did you see these same types of variations in the NASA animation of seasonal CO_ii and vegetation? Explain.
• Describe the time series trend of atm CO₂measured at Mauna Loa. What does this tendency "say" nearly the concentration of atm CO₂ since 1958?
• What evidence, if whatever, does Keeling's information provide that the carbon chemical science of our atmosphere is irresolute?
• The Keeling Curve represents atm CO_two data taken from the top of the Mauna Loa volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. Considering of this, some people on the Net have claimed that Keeling's information is influenced by CO_ii released from the nearby volcano. Does the rise in atm CO_twoconcentration over Mauna Loa correspond a tendency only on a regional scale or on a global calibration? What makes you think and so?

Using ESRL's CarbonTracker programme to measure trends and variations in levels of atm CO_ii around the earth

The Keeling Curve CO_two information indicates that the amount of atm CO₂measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory has been increasing since 1958, the date of the start measurement taken by Charles Keeling. Is this same tendency occurring elsewhere in the earth?

Provenance: CarbonTracker
Reuse: NOAA

You lot may observe the answer to this important question by using CarbonTracker, a plan adult by The Globe Organisation Enquiry Laboratory (ESRL) in Boulder, Colorado and operated past the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Assistants (NOAA). ESRL collects greenhouse gas measurements from participating monitoring stations around the earth and inputs the data into the Interactive Atmospheric Data Visualization (IADV) CarbonTracker database tool. Scientists and non-scientists tin access this database at whatsoever time.

Laboratory Investigation: Instructions

In this investigation, your group will employ CarbonTracker to generate graphs of atm CO₂ data measured from dissimilar sampling locations effectually the globe. You will compare these graphs to each other and to Mauna Loa data to look for differences and similarities in trends and variations.

1. Before yous begin your investigation, information technology is important to spend some fourth dimension familiarizing yourself with the CarbonTracker tool.
2. Brand a nine column tabular array in your lab notebook with the following headings:
   • Name of monitoring station: (ex. Mauna Loa)
   • Location clarification (ex. country, hemisphere, bounding main, acme of mountain, Arctic etc.)
   • Breadth and longitude: (ex. Mauna Loa is at 19.54 N breadth; 155.v W longitude)
   • Polar, temperate or tropical latitude
   • Type of measurement used – (ex. tower, surface flask, in-situ.)
   • How measurements are taken – (ex. on land, boat, or plane)
   • Meridian (masl = meters higher up sea level)
   • Fourth dimension bridge (ex. 1960-2015)
   • How CO₂ has changed (in ppm) in this fourth dimension span.
3. Enter the Carbon Tracker: Interactive Atmospheric Data Visualization (IADV)Tool. Once in that location, use CarbonTracker to generate a graph of CO₂ fourth dimension series data measured at Mauna Loa. NOTE: Your teacher may make up one's mind to do this with y'all equally a grade and show the graph on a smartboard.
4. In your group, decide which three CO₂ monitoring stations around the world yous would like to investigate.
5. Decide the time series you will investigate for each CO₂data fix. Note: If possible, select the same fourth dimension series for all of the graphs you generate. This will allow you to more hands compare trends across your graphs.
6. Utilise CarbonTracker to generate a CO₂ time serial graph for each sampling location you take chosen. Note: Your instructor will tell you how yous will share these graphs with your group and with the entire class. For example, y'all can create a PDF which y'all can impress, download, electronic mail or send to a new window.
7. Within your group, compare your CO₂ time series graphs to each other and to the Mauna Loa CO₂ time series graph. Analyze the graphs for differences and similarities in trends and variations. Employ the discussion questions beneath to guide your analysis.
8. Compare your graphs and your analysis with the class. NOTE: Your teacher may decide to have y'all exercise a jigsaw action or a gallery walk. Apply the postal service-investigation word questions below to guide your analysis.

Discuss

• Describe the trends and variations of atm CO₂ in the iii sampling sites your group investigated. How do they compare with the Mauna Loa information?
• Are the data trends beyond the class exactly the same every bit each other or are there differences? What might account for those differences?
• Is the rise of CO_two concentration in the atmosphere happening on a regional calibration or a global scale? What is the evidence from CarbonTracker?

Global Boilerplate Temperature and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations 1880-2004

Provenance: Wood Hole Inquiry Middle, Graphic Design, Michael Ernst
Reuse: This item is offered nether a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this detail for not-commercial purposes as long as y'all provide attribution and offering any derivative works under a similar license.

Is Earth experiencing a stronger greenhouse issue? What's the prove?

Most scientists claim that the increasing concentration of CO_ii in the temper is creating a stronger (or amplified) greenhouse outcome leading to a warmer atmosphere. What data supports this claim? The graph pictured on the right brings iii different information sets together to tell a more consummate story about changes in atm CO_two and global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution began. Click to enlarge the graph on the right and advisedly examine each of its three data sets as described below:

• Global long term temperature data 1880-2006 (Blue lines).
• Ice core CO₂ data from the Siple Dome in Antartica, 1880-1950 (Red lines)
• Keeling Curve CO₂ data taken at Mauna Loa 1958-2006 (Yellowish lines)

Siple Ice Core Station, Antarctica

Provenance: National Snowfall and Water ice Information Center
Reuse: This item is offered nether a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ You may reuse this particular for non-commercial purposes as long as you lot provide attribution and offer any derivative works nether a similar license.

Discuss

With a partner or a group, discuss the post-obit and and so share with the class.

• What trends do you lot see in these three data sets?
• What "story" does this graph tell y'all about the human relationship between CO₂ and temperature since the 1800'southward?
• What trends in atm CO₂ and temperature have you observed thus far back up or abnegate the claim that the greenhouse effect is amplifying? Explain why.

End and Think

iii: Describe the overall trend in atmospheric CO₂ and temperature since the 1880s.

4: Based on the current scientific data, what is causing the increases in atmospheric CO₂? Describe one slice of evidence that supports your merits.

Optional extensions

Want to larn more about carbon in the atmosphere and the keeling Curves? Check out these resources:

• Enquiry the latest research! New research on the carbon bicycle, climate and the environment is on-going. You tin utilise ScienceDaily and Phys.org to research recent enquiry on greenhouse gases and climate past using combinations of the post-obit tags: greenhouse gases, climate change, carbon cycle, Keeling Bend. Here are two examples:

Climate change caused by ocean, not just atmosphere -- ScienceDaily

Seeing carbon dioxide as a raw material rather than a waste material could pb to a more sustainable future

• The post-obit websites contains groundwork information on the Keeling Curve, greenhouse gases, carbon cycle, and climate.
  • CarbonTracker CT2013B - ESRL Global Monitoring Division You lot can scroll down to the bottom to detect links to other carbon topics.
  • NASA: Climatic change and Global Warming Comprehensive site where you lot tin get contempo CO₂information and other vital signs of the planet in addition to many other NASA resources on Earth.
  • The Keeling Curve A daily record of atmospheric carbon dioxide from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego In that location are many links within this site to groundwork information on the Keeling Curve.
    

Source: https://serc.carleton.edu/eslabs/carbon/3c.html

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