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April 2017 Atmospheric CO2 Content: 409.01 ppm; April 2016 407.42; April 2015 403.28
https://www.co2.earth/monthly-co2
1 replies
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The increase from April 2016 to April 2017 is less than the increase from April 2015 to 2016.
However, that was expected.
https://scripps.ucsd.edu/programs/keelingcurve/2016/04/20/comment-on-recent-record-breaking-co2-concentrations/#more-1406
[font face=Serif][font size=5]Comment on Recent Record-Breaking CO₂ Concentrations[/font]
April 20, [font color=red]2016[/font] | Rob Monroe
Levels exceeded 409 parts per million for the first time in recorded history this month
[font size=3]We are now witnessing the fastest growth rates of the entire record of CO₂ measurements. This record-breaking growth is an expected consequence of the near record-breaking fossil fuel usage combined with the largest El Niño event in several decades.
The very recent bump up in CO₂ levels recorded at Mauna Loa Observatory is not entirely unexpected because there is often significant uptick in CO₂ near the beginning of April before concentrations peak in May. This bump presumably reflects the fact that soils start to warm well before vegetation greens up in spring. The soil warming allows CO₂ to be emitted as organic matter such as compost decomposes. In a matter of weeks this soil emission will be offset by photosynthetic uptake, as the vegetation starts to turn on.
The bump is also getting a boost from the El Niño phenomenon, which is causing additional anomalous emissions from tropical forests through drought and fires.
Still, the levels last week were a bit higher, maybe by a part per million or two, than I would have projected even taking El Niño into account. I’m frankly not sure what is causing this, but I would not expect it reflects anything other than an unusual blob of air that temporarily settled over the central Pacific. It is clear that other sites around the world where CO₂ is meansured are showing the El Niño boost, but I haven’t consulted the most recent data to see if they show anything special over the last few weeks. The bump last week was seen on both the NOAA and Scripps analyzers at Mauna Loa.
…[/font][/font]
April 20, [font color=red]2016[/font] | Rob Monroe
Levels exceeded 409 parts per million for the first time in recorded history this month
[font size=3]We are now witnessing the fastest growth rates of the entire record of CO₂ measurements. This record-breaking growth is an expected consequence of the near record-breaking fossil fuel usage combined with the largest El Niño event in several decades.
The very recent bump up in CO₂ levels recorded at Mauna Loa Observatory is not entirely unexpected because there is often significant uptick in CO₂ near the beginning of April before concentrations peak in May. This bump presumably reflects the fact that soils start to warm well before vegetation greens up in spring. The soil warming allows CO₂ to be emitted as organic matter such as compost decomposes. In a matter of weeks this soil emission will be offset by photosynthetic uptake, as the vegetation starts to turn on.
The bump is also getting a boost from the El Niño phenomenon, which is causing additional anomalous emissions from tropical forests through drought and fires.
Still, the levels last week were a bit higher, maybe by a part per million or two, than I would have projected even taking El Niño into account. I’m frankly not sure what is causing this, but I would not expect it reflects anything other than an unusual blob of air that temporarily settled over the central Pacific. It is clear that other sites around the world where CO₂ is meansured are showing the El Niño boost, but I haven’t consulted the most recent data to see if they show anything special over the last few weeks. The bump last week was seen on both the NOAA and Scripps analyzers at Mauna Loa.
…[/font][/font]
