The measurement of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, especially at the time when global warming and climate change are shaping debates, continues to change as scientists seek accurate interpretation of CO2 levels. Different methods of measuring CO2 have been created or invented to increase accuracy (Hansen, 2010). In this paper, the article describes the different methods to measure CO2 today and those used in the past. It also examines the relationship between carbon dioxide levels and atmospheric temperatures.
Based on the current methods of measuring CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, scientists conclude that the CO2 level in the pre-industrial period was lower that it is today at 280 parts per million (ppm) before rising to the present level of 420 ppm. However, these are assumptions that were formulated before scientists carried out research. As a result, scientists have developed new methods to measure CO2 levels. In recent times, the National Aeronautic and Space Agency (NASA) have developed new tool or method of measuring carbon in the atmosphere. The ASCENDS CarbonHawk Experiment Simulator (ACES) is a tool that NASA believes will offer more precision and accuracy in determining the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere (McDonald, 2017). The tool has laser beams that operate at infrared frequencies to measure the amount of carbon dioxide in the air; right from the atmosphere to the water. The ACES method uses a certain technology that uses light detection and ranging to measure carbon dioxide. Further, ACES is an active system that uses its own light in the form of a laser.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Before developing ACES, NASA had developed another method or tool called ASCENDS or Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons. Therefore, ACES is an improvement o ASCENDS in an attempt by NASA to fill gaps in the present understanding about the origin and destination of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Another tool that the agency launched is the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2. The method is passive and measures CO2 by observing the effects of CO2 gas on sunlight (McDonald, 2017). As sunlight passes in the atmosphere, CO2 and other molecules absorb light at different frequencies. Each absorption pattern is as unique as a fingerprint. Imperatively, the degree of the reflected sunlight coming from the Earth’s surface, which is partially absorbed by CO2 and oxygen, is then recorded by the satellite. The data is the used to calculate and determine the amount of carbon dioxide between the satellite and the Earth’s surface. However, most passive measurements, particularly in the pre-industrial period, have one critical limitation; they cannot work at night. Scientists are categorical that people must know what occurs at night since plants absorb carbon dioxide at the time (McDonald, 2017). Imperatively, they have developed these new methods that offer more accuracy and precision regardless of height and time.
One core ancient method to measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was the use of ice core. The method measured bubbles of air (fluid and gas included) that were trapped in the Antarctic and Greenland. The Antarctic cores indicated that carbon dioxide concentration was about 280 ppm before industrial emissions started. The method implies that the level did not change much over ten thousand years. Systematic evaluations indicate that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels shot up after man started agriculture and after the end of the ice age (Real Climate, 2004). Other methods used in the past to measure CO2 concentration include boron and carbon isotope ratios in marine sediments and the amount of stomata seen on fossil plant leaves. Many believe that these methods are less precise and accurate in estimating carbon dioxide concentration than ice cores or the current methods. These methods may seek scientists to adjust data based on the region where the measurement is taking place (Real Climate, 2004). Imperatively, the researchers decide when adjustments to the set of data should be done.
Relationship between CO2 levels and atmospheric temperatures
The relationship between CO2 levels and atmospheric temperatures remains a continuing research subject. Presently, a small amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases makes the Earth’s atmospheric temperature warmer than it would (Hansen, 2010). However, increasing the amount of CO2 does not increase the greenhouse effect. Climate reacts in a complicated way as it is not easy to separate the impacts of natural changes from human-made effects. However, as the level of human-made CO2 increases, temperatures do not increase with a similar margin or rate. In their study, Adolf Stips and colleagues (2016) assert that there is a causal positive relationship between greenhouse gases and global mean surface temperature anomalies (GMTA) since the pre-industrial era. The study confirms that CO2 is a primary driver of the present warming. They also found that on paleoclimate time scales the cause-effect is the opposite where a change in temperature causes subsequent greenhouse gases changes (Stips et al., 2016). It follows that of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide that constitutes about 25%, contributes to about 80% of the effect that sustains the Earth’s greenhouse effect (Hansen, 2010). It follows that even in cases where the immediate effects lag behind, the sea-level effect corrects the anomalies such that the effect may fall behind but will ultimately take place. The lag time occurs due to the altitude of a location. However, the overall impact of the increased concentration manifests in long-term.
It suffices to note that carbon dioxide concentration continues to be one of the largest contributors of the rise in atmospheric temperatures over years. Different methods have been used over time to measure the level of CO2 with the purpose of enhancing accurate and precise measurements. Recent methods have improved the estimation in comparison to past as they are more accurate. Finally, there is a positive relationship between CO2 levels and temperatures where an increase in the levels necessitates temperature increase.
References
Hansen, K. (2010). “Carbon Dioxide Controls Earth's Temperature” Accessed from https://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/co2-temperature.html
McDonald, S. (2017). “New Tool for Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere Shows Promise” Accessed from https://www.nasa.gov/larc/new-tool-for-measuring-carbon-dioxide-in-the-atmosphere-shows-promise
Real Climate (2004). “How do we know that recent CO2 increases are due to human activities?” Accessed from http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2004/12/how-do-we-know-that-recent-cosub2sub-increases-are-due-to-human-activities-updated/
Stips, A., Macias, D., Coughlan, C., Garcia-Gorriz, E., and Liang, S.X. (2016). On the causal structure between CO2 and global temperature” Accessed from https://www.nature.com/articles/srep21691
