NASA Releases Map of Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in Earth’s Atmosphere

NASA has released stunning images showing a mysterious cloud of carbon dioxide (CO2) moving around Earth between January and March 2020. The images were created using the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) high-resolution weather model, which simulates natural events in Earth’s atmosphere, such as storms and cloud formation.

These images highlight carbon dioxide concentrations in different regions of the world. In China, the United States, and South Asia, most carbon dioxide emissions come from power plants, industries, and vehicles such as cars and trucks. In Africa and South America, the main sources of carbon dioxide are land-management-related fires, agricultural fires, deforestation, and the burning of oil and coal.

“As policymakers and scientists, we try to consider where carbon comes from and how it affects the planet,” said Leslie Ott, a climate scientist at NASA. “And you see here how everything is interconnected through these different weather patterns.” The interconnectedness of global carbon dioxide emissions is evident in the images, highlighting the complexity of climate patterns and their consequences.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the planet’s atmosphere has risen from 278 parts per million in 1750 to 427 parts per million in May of this year. Although carbon dioxide does not directly harm air quality, its excess is a major contributor to global warming, which accelerates the rise in temperatures on Earth.

To create the map, NASA used the GEOS model, which has a resolution more than 100 times higher than common models, allowing for a detailed and accurate view of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. This advanced technology helps scientists and policymakers better understand the sources of carbon emissions and take action to mitigate their impact on the global climate.

look: Model Behavior: Visualizing Global CO2