25.10.2023
NASA has created a model of the spread of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere
The newest NASA computer modeling techniques have made it possible to understand where carbon comes from, where it goes, and the effects of sinks on it. And it also became clear where the most emissions occur and how this process varies throughout the year.
The visualization shows that the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere during 2021 is divided into four main sources:
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fossil fuels (highlighted in orange);
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biomass combustion (highlighted in red);
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terrestrial ecosystems (highlighted in green);
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ocean (highlighted in blue).
The points on the surface of the model show how atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by terrestrial ecosystems (in green) and the ocean (in blue). Despite the fact that the oceans and land are global carbon sinks, individual places on Earth can become CO2 emitters at vastly divergent times. For example, dormant plants actively release carbon dioxide during respiration. And since photosynthesis does not occur in winter, the released CO2 is simply not absorbed.
Emissions in Europe (highlighted in red) are emissions from fires used to clean up crop residues. Fires are the smallest source of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere than fossil fuel emissions, as an example, but they are significant because they can alter an ecosystem's ability to sink carbon in the future.
The largest fossil fuel emissions occurred in China. This contributed to the increase of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere in 2021. In contrast, the least amount of carbon dioxide was seen over Australia, as emissions and population density are much lower here.
The model created at NASA allows us to understand at a glance what is happening around the globe. However, due to the distortion of the projection at the north and south poles, the situation is slightly exaggerated.
You can view the visualization from different angles, as well as the accompanying infographic, here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/5110
Unsplash / Marcin Jozwiak / Chris LeBoutillier
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