Home / Science / Earth's Breath: Keeling Curve Tracks Climate Change
Earth's Breath: Keeling Curve Tracks Climate Change
17 Jan
Summary
- Keeling Curve charts hourly CO2 levels since 1958.
- CO2 concentrations vary seasonally, rising with winter.
- Data aligns with rising average temperatures, showing climate change.
High on Mauna Loa, Hawaii, an observatory established in 1958 by David Keeling has been continuously monitoring atmospheric carbon dioxide. Every hour, instruments sample clean Pacific trade winds, meticulously recording CO2 concentrations. The resulting Keeling Curve reveals a distinct pattern: CO2 levels dip during the northern summer as plant life flourishes, then rise again through the winter.
This ongoing data collection, showing an increase from 313 parts per million in 1958 to 430.67 ppm recently, starkly illustrates the impact of burning fossil fuels. When analyzed alongside gradually rising average global temperatures, the Keeling Curve serves as the world's clearest depiction of climate change.
The Keeling Curve and the climate science it spurred represent a significant scientific achievement. This dedication to long-term observation from Mauna Loa provides undeniable evidence of global warming, underscoring the value of sustained scientific practice in understanding our planet.
