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CU-Boulder ATOC 1060 - The Carbon Cycle

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From http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/2005_warmest.html2005 Warmest Year on RecordThe year 2005 was the warmest year in over a century, according to NASA scientists studying temperature data from around the world. Climatologists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York City noted that the highest global annual average surface temperature in more than a century was recorded in their analysis for the 2005 calendar year. Some other research groups that study climate change rank 2005 as the second warmest year, based on comparisons through November. The primary difference among the analyses, according to the NASA scientists, is the inclusion of the Arctic in the NASA analysis. Although there are few weather stations in the Arctic, the available data indicate that 2005 was unusually warm in the Arctic.In order to figure out whether the Earth is cooling or warming, the scientists use temperature data from weather stations on land, satellite measurements of sea surface temperature since 1982, and data from ships for earlier years. Image to right: 2005 was the warmest year since the late 1800s, according to NASA scientists. 1998, 2002 and 2003 and 2004 followed as the next four warmest years. Credit: NASAPreviously, the warmest year of the century was 1998, when a strong El Nino, a warm water event in the eastern Pacific Ocean, added warmth to global temperatures. However, what's significant, regardless of whether 2005 is first or second warmest, is that global warmth has returned to about the level of 1998 without the help of an El Nino.The result indicates that a strong underlying warming trend is continuing. Global warming since the middle 1970s is now about 0.6 degrees Celsius (C) or about 1 degree Fahrenheit (F). Total warming in the past century is about 0.8° C or about 1.4° F."The five warmest years over the last century occurred in the last eight years," said James Hansen, director of NASA GISS. They stack up as follows: the warmest was 2005, then 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2004. Over the past 30 years, the Earth has warmed by 0.6° C or 1.08° F. Over the past 100 years, it has warmed by 0.8° C or 1.44° F. Current warmth seems to be occurring nearly everywhere at the same time and is largest at high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. Over the last 50 years, the largest annual and seasonal warmings have occurred in Alaska, Siberia and the Antarctic Peninsula. Most ocean areas have warmed. Because these areas are remote and far away from major cities, it is clear to climatologists that the warming is not due to the influence of pollution from urban areas. 141677main_a10_1891_1996_sor.movThe Carbon Cycle (part 2)Sean DavisWhich best describes the biological pump?b. Respiration vs. Methanogenesisc. Photosynthesis vs. oxygen productiond. A push upe. Settling vs. upwelling…From last time•Carbon Cycle Overview•Concepts: reservoirs, steady state, response/residence time•Land/Atmosphere Cycle–Photosynthesis vs. respiration/decomposition•Marine Cycle - the biological pump–Photosynthesis vs. respiration/decomposition–Settling vs. UpwellingRedfield Ratios•Named after Alfred C. Redfield•Findings–Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosphorous ratio–106:16:1–Same in plankton and seawater–Nutrient composition of seawater determined by production and decomposition of organic matter (plankton)1890-1983The picture so far…•Going to talk about arrow going into/out of sedimentary rocks (both organic and inorganic)Organic Carbon Burial•Organic carbon – leak from short-term cycle•Leak maintains O2 content in atmosphere•Atmospheric O2 lost to reduced materials (rocks, volcanic gasses)•O2 depleted in 106 years w/o new supplyAtmospheric O2 BalancePhotosynthesisCO2 + H2O  CH2O + O2RespirationCH2O + O2  CO2 + H2ODecomposition2CH2O  CO2 + CH4O2CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + 2H2O (in atmosphere)Atmospheric O2 BalancePhotosynthesisCO2 + H2O  CH2O + O2RespirationCH2O + O2  CO2 + H2OO2“Eaten” by Rocks,Volcanic GasDecomposition2CH2O  CO2 + CH4CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + 2H2O (in atmosphere)Atmospheric O2 BalancePhotosynthesisCO2 + H2O  CH2O + O2RespirationCH2O + O2  CO2 + H2OO2Sedimentation of organic carbonDecomposition2CH2O  CO2 + CH4CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + 2H2O (in atmosphere)“Eaten” by Rocks,Volcanic GasOrganic Carbon Burial•Burial products…–Coal - terrestrial matter–Petroleum – marine sediments–Shales •Eventually, materials are uplifted and oxidized•Fossil fuel consumption is acceleration of this process by at least a million timesRespirationCH2O + O2  CO2 + H2OThe Inorganic Carbon Cycle•Diffusion of CO2 between ocean and atmosphere•Uptake/cycling of carbon by sedimentary rocksOcean/Atmosphere Carbon Exchange–CO2 diffuses from high to low concentration (“down the concentration gradient”)–CO2 is soluble in water (or soda, or beer)–Water holds more CO2 at low temperature–Upwelling brings high-CO2 water to surfaceGroup QuestionWhich one of these is a positive feedback?a. Increase atmospheric CO2, increase gradient between atmosphere and oceanb. Increase CO2, increase temperature, reduce solubility of CO2c. Increase CO2, increase temperature, increase glacial melting in Greenland, decrease ocean circulation, reduce upwellingGroup QuestionWhich one of these is a positive feedback?a. Increase atmospheric CO2, increase gradient between atmosphere and oceanb. Increase CO2, increase temperature, reduce solubility of CO2c. Increase CO2, increase temperature, increase glacial melting in Greenland, decrease ocean circulation, reduce upwellingOcean/Atmosphere Carbon Exchange•Implications:–Increase atmospheric CO2  ocean becomes sink–Power of sink limited…Chemistry of Inorganic Carbon in Water•CO2 dissolves in water:–CO2 + H2O ↔ H2CO3•Reaction goes both ways to make equilibrium!•Carbonic Acid can dissociate into ions•H2CO3 ↔ H+ + HCO3-•Bicarbonate can further dissociate•HCO3- ↔ H+ + CO32-CarbonicAcidBicarbonateAside: The pH scale•Concentration of H+ determines pH•Lower pH  more acidic•Higher pH  more basic•pH = 7  neutral (distilled water)•Scale is logarithmic •pH of 2 has 10 times asmuch H+ as pH 3Inorganic Carbon Cycle•What happens to ocean w/ more atmospheric CO2?–More dissolved CO2  more acidicCO2 + H2O ↔ H2CO3H2CO3 ↔ H+ + HCO3-H+ + CO32- ↔ HCO3-Total: CO2 + CO3- + H2O ↔ 2HCO3-So, more CO2  more uptake of CO2However, uptake limited by


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CU-Boulder ATOC 1060 - The Carbon Cycle

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