the earth goes *burp*

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Scientists puzzled by accelerating CO2 buildup in atmosphere

 

A sharp acceleration in the rate of increase of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere has climate scientists puzzled and sounding a bit nervous.

Mauna Loa Observatory, perched on a mountain in Hawaii, has been

taking atmospheric CO2 measurements for almost 50 years. In recent

decades, the rate of increase has averaged about 1.5 parts per

million (ppm) a year, but in 2002 and 2003, the rate jumped up to

2.08 ppm and 2.54 ppm respectively, an unprecedented acceleration.

Climate researchers acknowledge that it could be an anomaly --

perhaps due to increased forest fires in the Northern Hemisphere or

something of the sort. But if the acceleration continues, warns

climate-research old-timer Charles Keeling, it could herald " the

beginning of a natural process unprecedented in the record " -- the

so-called " runaway greenhouse effect, " wherein the world's natural

carbon sinks lose their ability to absorb CO2 and a self-reinforcing

cycle of rapid warming begins. Yikes.

 

straight to the source: The Guardian, Paul Brown, 11 Oct 2004

<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=3298>

 

straight to the source: The Independent, Michael McCarthy, 11 Oct 2004

<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=3299>

 

in the Gristmill: Glenn Scherer on how most U.S. media missed this story

<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=3300>