Articles tagged with Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
New research reveals that established forests remove 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to one third of current annual fossil fuel emissions. This is a significant breakthrough demonstrating how forests impact atmospheric CO2 levels through tree growth and expansion.
A new study provides a detailed account of the natural carbon cycle in agriculture, revealing that regions dependent on others for food release more carbon than they take in. The researchers developed a national crop carbon budget, finding that the crops absorb and return about 37% of the US's total annual carbon dioxide emissions.
A new NOAA study shows that cutting emissions of non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases could slow changes in climate. By reducing emissions of these gases, warming influence could be diminished substantially within a couple of decades.
A massive Arctic wildfire released 20 times more carbon to the atmosphere than undisturbed tundra, accelerating the transformation of tundra ecosystems. The impacts could have profound implications on atmospheric carbon and climate as the Arctic landscape warms and shrubs appear in place of grasses and mosses.
A University of Florida study shows that Arctic tundra fires can release significant amounts of soil-bound carbon into the atmosphere, potentially accelerating global climate warming. The 2007 Anaktuvuk River fire in Alaska released 2.1 million metric tons of carbon, equivalent to twice the amount emitted by the city of Miami in a year.
A record-breaking tundra fire in Alaska's North Slope released as much carbon as the tundra stored in 50 years, according to scientists. The study highlights the rapid impact of climate warming on tundra ecosystems.
A new study suggests that reforestation on abandoned agricultural land can have a significant cooling effect on the climate. By considering historical patterns of land-use conversion, researchers found that farmers generally chose to use more productive and snow-free lands, which can absorb more carbon dioxide and reduce global warming.
A recent study published in the journal Carbon Management suggests that using wood products can reduce carbon emissions by up to 10 tons per ton, making them a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Sustainably managed forests are found to be essentially carbon neutral, but older forests have limited capacity to absorb carbon dioxide.
New research reveals that climate change is negatively impacting the ocean's capacity to absorb human-produced carbon dioxide, with warmer water holding less carbon. This finding challenges previous studies and highlights the need for improved data sets and expanded analysis in other oceans.
A study by Syracuse and Yale universities provides a clearer picture of the Earth's temperature approximately 50 million years ago. The researchers found that average Eocene water temperature along the subtropical U.S. Gulf Coast was around 27 degrees centigrade (80 degrees Fahrenheit), slightly cooler than earlier studies predicted.
The CSIRO website provides easy access to greenhouse gas data measured in the Southern Hemisphere atmosphere for the past 35 years. Key findings include a record-high level of carbon dioxide, increasing at about 0.5% each year, and an almost 40% increase over the past century largely due to human activities.
A team of scientists used numerical climate models and oxygen-isotope analysis to determine what caused climate shifts during the last ice age. The study found that Heinrich events were associated with changes in monsoon rainfall intensity, rather than carbon dioxide-induced climate change.
The UK Ocean Acidification research programme aims to study the impact of changing CO2 levels on marine organisms and ecosystems. The cruise will conduct experiments using tanks of natural seawater collected from the sea, subjecting them to various levels of carbon dioxide that may occur in the future.
Researchers found that carbon release into atmosphere today is nearly 10 times faster than during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a 55.9 million-year-old event similar to current global warming. The study suggests this rapid change may not allow sufficient time for biological systems to adapt.
The novel CO2-plume geothermal system offers advantages over conventional geothermal systems, including increased efficiency and reduced risk of 'short-circuiting'. By using high-pressure CO2 as the underground heat-carrying fluid, CPG can be used in regions where traditional geothermal production is not feasible. This technology also ...
A new study reveals that climate projections don't accurately reflect soil carbon release, leading to potential flaws in global warming predictions. The researchers found that temperature variability affects the amount of carbon released from soils, with higher releases expected at lower latitudes.
A new study found significant organic material buried in deoxygenated layers of sediment, indicating a mass mortality event in the oceans during a greenhouse effect. The research suggests that subtle changes in temperature and CO2 levels can trigger catastrophic effects on ocean sustainability.
Researchers studied 'greenhouse oceans' using core samples from the ocean bed off western Africa, finding significant organic material buried in deoxygenated layers. The study suggests that natural processes can remove excess carbon from the atmosphere, potentially mitigating the effects of climate change.
Researchers found that Antarctic icebergs enrich the Southern Ocean with iron-rich sediment, fertilizing microscopic algae that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This process transfers carbon into the deep sea, potentially impacting global climate models.
A report by Princeton University engineers suggests that removing carbon dioxide from the air is not a viable economic solution for slowing climate change. The study found that such technologies would be more expensive than preventing emissions in the first place.
Scientists studying hot springs in Siberia have found that exotic bacteria produce and consume carbon monoxide, a surprising twist that challenges previous theories about the evolution of Earth's atmosphere. The discovery has implications for understanding the Great Oxidation Event and the early history of our planet.
A Purdue University-led team analyzed prehistoric data to find the Earth's recovery from 56 million-year-old high CO2 levels was quicker than models predicted. The study suggests that more than half of added carbon dioxide was pulled from the atmosphere within 30,000 to 40,000 years.
Reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations could increase global precipitation and prevent droughts, according to Carnegie Global Ecology scientists. The team's novel explanation shows that cutting CO2 can lead to an increase in thunderstorms and rainfall.
A new study estimates that up to two-thirds of Earth's permafrost will disappear by 2200, unleashing massive amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. The team predicts a release of roughly 190 billion tons of carbon, equivalent to half of the amount released since the Industrial Age.
A new study suggests the Arctic Ocean ice may not reach a catastrophic tipping point due to climate change. Microearthquakes could help evaluate potential carbon sequestration sites by detecting fractures in rocks. This technique could pinpoint unknown fractures that could lead to long-term storage of carbon dioxide.
A new study reveals that deforestation has been the largest contributor to global CO2 buildup, with forests re-growing during wars and plagues having a limited impact. The Mongol invasions, however, led to significant carbon absorption due to forest regrowth.
Researchers have developed a seawater/mineral carbonate gas scrubber that removes up to 97% of CO2, converting it to dissolved calcium bicarbonate. This can help mitigate ocean acidification and its effects on marine life, such as coral reefs.
A new study by National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist Jeffrey Kiehl examines the relationship between global temperatures and high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere tens of millions of years ago. The study finds that atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gas may reach levels that existed about 30 million to 100 ...
A new analysis suggests that future global temperatures may exceed projections by a factor of two, with potentially catastrophic consequences. The study, led by NCAR scientist Jeffrey Kiehl, warns that continued high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could lead to a repeat of Earth's hot past.
A carbon swap bank could lead to genuine reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, according to Australian researchers. The concept allows for direct deposits of sequestered carbon and withdrawals of emission rights, bypassing issues with accurate measurement and international regulation.
A Stanford University geophysicist warns that injecting massive amounts of carbon dioxide underground could trigger small- to moderate-sized earthquakes, posing a threat to the reservoirs containing the gas. The issue is particularly concerning for saline aquifers with dense, well-cemented sedimentary rock.
Researchers discovered a carbon-rich atmosphere in WASP-12b, suggesting rocky exoplanets could be composed of pure carbon rocks like diamond or graphite. This finding introduces an entirely new class of exotic exoplanets to explore, with implications for the possibility of life on these planets.
Researchers have found a vast microbial ecosystem in the porous basalt rock of the upper oceanic crust, producing organic matter and exporting carbon to other systems. The discovery may influence astrobiological thinking about life on Europa and expand our understanding of the oceanic carbon cycle.
A NASA computer modeling effort found that increased plant growth in a world with doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide levels could create a cooling effect, reducing future global warming. The model predicts a -0.3 degrees Celsius globally and -0.6 degrees C over land.
Despite the financial crisis, global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are expected to rise by over 3% in 2010, reversing previous declines. Meanwhile, deforestation-related emissions have decreased by over 25% since 2000.
A new study presents the first geological evidence that the ancestors of C4 grasses emerged millions of years earlier than previously established. Researchers analyzed carbon isotope ratios in individual grains of grass pollen, finding unequivocal evidence for C4 grasses in southwestern Europe by the Early Oligocene.
A new analysis of fossilized grass-pollen grains from ancient European lake and sea bottoms has found that C4 grasses existed 14 million years ago, prior to the previously believed Oligocene epoch. This discovery sheds light on the evolution of these highly productive plants.
Researchers reconstruct carbon dioxide levels during the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum, a 400,000-year period of extreme global warming. They found that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels doubled, leading to temperature increases of 4-6 degrees Celsius.
Canadian researchers have made a breakthrough in CO2 capture by identifying the exact sites where CO2 is held in a capture material. This discovery enables scientists to design better materials to capture more CO2, potentially mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from coal-burning flue stacks or unconventional natural gas reservoirs.
Researchers have discovered that eggshell membranes can absorb significant amounts of carbon dioxide, with one study showing absorption of up to seven times the membrane's own weight. This finding presents a promising approach for mitigating climate change by utilizing waste eggshells as a carbon capture material.
New University of Florida research reveals that old carbon was stored in the icy waters of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica during the last glacial period. This discovery has significant implications for understanding future global warming scenarios and how much atmospheric carbon dioxide the oceans can absorb in the future.
A NASA study reveals that carbon dioxide plays a crucial role in regulating Earth's temperature, accounting for 25% of the greenhouse effect. The research demonstrates that without non-condensing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, water vapor and clouds cannot sustain the planet's greenhouse effect.
A 2008 Kasatochi volcano eruption sparked a record-breaking phytoplankton bloom in the North Pacific Ocean, with iron-laden ash from the eruption taking up only a modest amount of atmospheric CO2
A new device, SeaFlow, detects and tracks microscopic algae that take up 50% of the world's ocean carbon dioxide. This discovery challenges traditional knowledge of ocean ecosystems and highlights the importance of monitoring phytoplankton communities for global carbon cycle understanding.
A new study on decomposing permafrost in arctic Sweden will investigate the impact of warming temperatures on greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers hope to understand the feedback loop between thawing permafrost and accelerating global warming.
Measurements by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suggest that liquid water has primarily existed at temperatures near freezing on Mars, implying hydrothermal systems similar to Earth's hot springs are rare. The findings provide new light on Mars' history of water and volcanic activity.
Scientists warn that avoiding dangerous climate change requires steep cuts in carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, cars, and other devices. New research suggests that existing infrastructure is less of a threat to climate than expected, but building the right low-carbon energy technologies now is crucial.
A recent study using radiocarbon dating found that a large CO2 release occurred at the end of the last ice age, speeding up its melting. The researchers suggest that this CO2 release may have implications for modern-day climate change.
Rutgers marine scientist Elisabeth Sikes and her colleagues discovered a regional 'de-gassing' of carbon dioxide in the South Pacific and Southern Ocean after the last ice age, challenging global assumptions. This finding has significant implications for understanding ocean CO2 dynamics and geo-engineering.
A study by Rice University geochemists found that human activities like damming have completely obscured the natural carbon dioxide cycle in the Brazos River. The researchers used radiocarbon dating to determine the age of carbon dioxide samples from seven sites along the river, revealing a unique geochemical story.
Researchers found salps can capture particles as small as 0.5 microns using a process called direct interception, making them more efficient filter feeders. This ability helps explain their survival in the open ocean and enhances their role in carbon cycling.
Researchers find salps capture food particles as small as bacteria and phytoplankton, making them hardier and more plentiful than thought. This allows them to play a crucial role in carbon cycling by consuming the entire 'microbial loop' and sinking large amounts of carbon to the ocean bottom.
The new model incorporates data on the carbon cycle, including ocean and forest absorption and release of CO2, to simulate future changes in global climate and carbon dioxide emissions. By reducing emissions by 56% by 2050, global warming would remain under the two-degree threshold until 2100.
A recent study led by University of Georgia biogeochemist Wei-Jun Cai found that the Canada Basin's potential as a carbon dioxide sink is short-lived and minor. The research indicates that the waters become acidic and unsuitable for calcium-carbonate shell-bearing marine organisms due to rapid CO2 uptake.
The Geological Society of America recognizes Kateryna Klochko, who developed a new method to accurately reconstruct ancient ocean pH levels. The organization also honors Marilyn Suiter, a pioneer in promoting diversity and inclusion in geoscience education.
Researchers have discovered an active strike-slip fault on the island of Trinidad, highlighting a major seismic hazard. The study also found that the lower crust is significantly weaker than the mantle at the Moho, and K/U ratio in the mantle records a snapshot of early Earth weathering.
A new study has accurately measured global carbon cycles, enabling more precise predictions of climate change's impact. The research found tropical forests and savannahs are key drivers of carbon dioxide uptake, with precipitation playing a significant role in determining global productivity.
Two international studies reveal the world's plant life inhales an estimated 123 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, with tropical forests accounting for 34% of this uptake. The research also shows that factors like water availability and soil transformations play crucial roles in long-term ecosystem carbon balances.
Removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere would cool the planet, but complexities of the carbon cycle limit its effectiveness. A long-term commitment spanning decades or centuries is required to keep atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations low.
Large-scale carbon sequestration could help avoid extreme global warming, but its effectiveness is uncertain due to leakage risks. Geological storage appears more effective in delaying climate consequences with minimal CO2 leakage rates.