The Contemporary and Historical Budget of Atmospheric \(CO_2\)
Observations of \(CO_2\) and \(O_2\) are interpreted to develop an understanding of the changes in the abundance of atmospheric \(CO_2\) that have arisen over the period 1995–2007. Fossil fuels accounted for an addition of 89.3 Gt of carbon to the atmosphere over this time period, 29% of which was t...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Physics |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
NRC Research Press
2012
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:10981610 https://doi.org/10.1139/p2012-033 |
Summary: | Observations of \(CO_2\) and \(O_2\) are interpreted to develop an understanding of the changes in the abundance of atmospheric \(CO_2\) that have arisen over the period 1995–2007. Fossil fuels accounted for an addition of 89.3 Gt of carbon to the atmosphere over this time period, 29% of which was transferred to the ocean, 15% to the global biosphere, with the balance (57%) retained by the atmosphere. Analysis of historical data for \(CO_2\) derived from studies of gases trapped in ice at Law Dome in Antarctica indicate that the biosphere represented a net source of atmospheric \(CO_2\) prior to 1940, switching subsequently to a net sink. Engineering and Applied Sciences Author's Original |
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