American scientists from Oregon State University found that the rate of increase in carbon dioxide (CO)2) reached a historical maximum in the Earth’s atmosphere. The research was published in the scientific journal magazine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Today’s CO increase rate according to the team2 The planet’s air is 10 times higher than at any time in the last 50 thousand years. This was demonstrated by chemical analysis of ancient Antarctic ice.
The ice that formed in Antarctica over hundreds of thousands of years contains ancient atmospheric gases trapped in air bubbles.
Using ice core samples taken from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, scientists found differences in CO2.2 It coincided with cold periods in the North Atlantic.
During the largest natural rise, carbon dioxide levels increased by about 14 parts per million in 55 years. Such fluctuations occurred approximately every 7 thousand years. Researchers noted that at today’s pace, such growth would last only 5-6 years.
The Southern Ocean would absorb most of the rising carbon emissions, but rapidly rising winds are weakening its ability to do so, the scientists added.
Previous researchers accepted Earth’s climate warming by 8°C.