NASA Simulation Shows CO2 Emissions Distribution

We have been warned by experts many times about the implications of global warming. Global warming is blamed widely on mankind’s emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is produced primarily by burning fossil fuels.

Numerous environmental agencies have been telling people all over the world about global warming. Now, because a picture is worth a thousand words, NASA has created a model showing how CO2 rushes across Earth’s atmosphere in a year. It is visible in the video that most of the CO2 emissions in the northern hemisphere originate in the pollution centers over Europe, North America and Asia. We can clearly see how quickly the greenhouse gases move across the planet. CO2 levels peak when fall arrives even though the CO2 levels drop in the summer and spring as plant life is abundant.

NASA climate scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Bill Putman said:

“As summer transitions to fall and plant photosynthesis decrease, carbon dioxide begins to accumulate in the atmosphere. Although this change is expected, we’re seeing higher concentrations of carbon dioxide accumulate in the atmosphere each year. This is contributing to the long-term trend of rising global temperatures.”

The visualization of the CO2 is the creation of a computer model called GEOS-5. The model was created by scientists at the NASA Goddard’s Global Modeling and Assimilation Office.

“While the presence of carbon dioxide has dramatic global consequences, it’s fascinating to see how local emission sources and weather systems produce gradients of its concentration on a very regional scale. Simulations like this, combined with data from observations, will help improve our understanding of both human emissions of carbon dioxide and natural fluxes across the globe.”

Bill Putman said.

The atmospheric CO2 levels exceeded 400 parts per million over the northern hemisphere in the spring of 2014. The level of CO2 was 270 parts per million before the industrial revolution. Already we are facing the consequences of the increase in concentration of the greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere.

Scientists are combining satellite data and computer models in order of getting a better understanding of how CO2 affects the ecology and global climates.

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Christina Langfold

Remember that weird girl in school who never quite managed to fit in? Who was always silent and strange? That was me during my entire teenage life. A few years after finishing college (with a degree in arts) I decided that the best way to become more sociable, while also feeling safe, is to test my people skills online.