ClimateHQ: Hot or Not?: Carbon

Non-partisan, independent presentation of climate data. No political ideology, agenda, or financial incentive. Just the data and the trends from published peer-reviewed research, no matter what it shows. We don't cherry pick. Site owner is a Ph.D. geologist who attempts to present the data in as simple a format as possible, so everyone can understand. Choose a subject from the list, or just scroll down. Data is presented in at-a-glance format with minimal analysis. Climate change is much more than just temperatures.

We don't post often, as there is no need to repost the same data over and over. But we do post data from scientists who have boots on the ground and are doing the dirty fieldwork to collect data.

Showing posts with label Carbon. Show all posts

Carbon isotope signatures in coral skeletons

Just carbon isotopes in ocean water represent the atmospheric carbon signature above, coral skeletons are reliable proxies for atmospheric changes. Taken from Swart, et al. (2010), coral skeletons from around the world show the same declining 13C/12C carbon ratio as the atmosphere above. Data from 1800 to 2000.

Short refresher on carbon isotopes: Burning of fossil fuels adds huge amounts 12C to the atmosphere which should yield declining 13C/12C ratios.

Multiple Carbon Isotope Records

Carbon isotope records from multiple locations worldwide, dating to 1600. Natural sources of carbon increase the 13C/12C ratio. Burning of fossil fuels - organic fuels - puts 12C into the atmosphere, lowering the ratio:

For many, carbon isotopes and the 13C/12C ratio are the smoking gun of climate change. Fossil fuels are the only source of large amounts of 12C.

Atmospheric Carbon-14 Ratios

Carbon-14 has a short half life, thus it is not found in ancient fossil fuels. Burning these fuels then decreases the 14C/12C ratio in the atmosphere. This is a measurement of 14C levels from 1820 up until about 1950. Nuclear bomb tests in the late-40s and 50s put large amounts of 14C into the atmosphere, so records after that date cannot be used, Specifically, tree ring data from after 1960 is unreliable because of the nuclear testing, so it is not used in climate modeling:

Carbon Isotopes from Australia

Carbon isotope data from extreme southern Australia over a short period, since 1990. Quick isotope refresher - natural carbon sources increase the 13C ratio, while emissions lower the 13C ratio in the atmosphere:

Carbon Isotopes: Where's the carbon from?

Some people question the origin of all the recent carbon in the atmosphere. Human or natural origin? Isotopes help tell the story. Understanding isotopes is complicated, at best. However, to put it very simply, natural sources of carbon like volcanoes increase the 13C/12C ratio. Burning of fossil fuels decreases the ratio:

As compared to recent emissions: