CO2 weather. We depict the daily
average of the pressure-weighted mean mole fraction of carbon dioxide
in the free troposphere as modeled by CarbonTracker. Units are
micromoles of CO2 per mole of dry air
(μmol mol-1), and the values are given by
the color scale depicted under the graphic. The "free troposphere" in
this case is levels 6 through 10 of the TM5 model. This corresponds
to about 1.2km above the ground to about 4.2km above ground, or in
pressure terms, about 850 hPa to about 500 hPa. Gradients in
CO2 concentration in this layer are due to
exchange between the atmosphere and the earth surface, including
fossil fuel emissions, air-sea exchange, and the photosynthesis,
respiration, and wildfire emissions of the terrestrial biosphere.
These gradients are subsequently transported by weather systems, even
as they are gradually erased by atmospheric mixing.
Click here
to see animations of these CarbonTracker CO2
Weather images.
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