What is Scripps CO2 program?

The Scripps CO2 program has made measurements of atmospheric CO2 concentration and the isotopic abundances 13C/12C, 14C/C, and 18O/16O ratios of CO2 from a network of stations from nearly Pole to Pole, along a Pacific transect.

What is the Scripps Keeling Curve?

The Keeling Curve is a daily record of global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration maintained by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.

How much CO2 is incorporated into the ocean?

While previous estimates put the ocean sink at around 2bn tonnes of CO2 per year, we find that it could be 0.8-09bn tonnes larger. Over the whole 27-year study period of 1992-2018, this means the global oceans have taken up 67bn tonnes of CO2 rather than 43bn.

Which marine zone has the most CO2?

In general, tropical waters release CO 2 to the atmosphere, whereas high-latitude oceans take up CO 2 from the atmosphere. CO 2 is also about 10 percent higher in the deep ocean than at the surface.

Why did Keeling choose Mauna Loa?

Mauna Loa was chosen as a long-term monitoring site due to its remote location far from continents and its lack of vegetation. Keeling and his collaborators measured the incoming ocean breeze above the thermal inversion layer to minimize local contamination from volcanic vents.

How is the Keeling Curve relevant for tracking CO2 emissions?

The Keeling Curve is one of the most compelling pieces of scientific evidence that shows that carbon dioxide (CO2) is accumulating in our atmosphere. CO2 is a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and help keep the planet warm.

What is the CO2 level today?

419.64 ppm Units = parts per million (ppm). Measurement location = Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii.

What percentage of CO2 is absorbed by the ocean?

30-50%
Scientists believe that the oceans currently absorb 30-50% of the CO2 produced by the burning of fossil fuel. If they did not soak up any CO2, atmospheric CO2 levels would be much higher than the current level of 355 parts per million by volume (ppmv) – probably around 500-600 ppmv.

Where is CO2 stored in the ocean?

Carbon dioxide is naturally stored in the ocean through chemical processes, either as a dissolved gas or, over a longer time scale, as carbonate sediments on the seafloor. In fact, more than 70 percent of current CO2 emissions will eventually wind-up in the ocean.

Why does CO2 increase with depth?

Between about 500 and 2700 m depth, liquid CO2 is lighter than sea water. Deeper than 3000 m, CO2 is denser than sea water. The buoyancy of CO2 released into the ocean determines whether released CO2 rises or falls in the ocean column (Figure 6.9). In the gas phase, CO2 is lighter than sea water and rises.

Why is CO2 measured in Mauna Loa?

Isolated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and at over 11,000 feet above sea level, the upper north face of Mauna Loa volcano is an ideal location to make measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide that reflect global trends, not local influences such as factories or forests that might boost or drop carbon dioxide …

Who first measures CO2?

scientist Charles D. Keeling
When climate scientist Charles D. Keeling was born on April 20, 1928, carbon dioxide (CO2) was approximately 307 parts per million (ppm) and Earth’s global temperature averaged a whole degree cooler than it does today.