The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is rising at an unprecedented rate due to human activities, according to new research. Scientists have discovered that the current rate of increase is ten times faster than any previous sudden increase in carbon dioxide over the past 50,000 years.
Researchers analyzed Antarctic ice cores to track changes in carbon dioxide concentrations during periods of rapid increase. They found that the fastest natural increases in carbon dioxide over 50,000 years have been about 14 parts per million by volume (ppm) in 55 years. Today, the same amount of carbon dioxide accumulates in the atmosphere in just five to six years, a tenfold increase in growth rate.
Past sudden increases in carbon dioxide, known as Heinrich events, were linked with large-scale geological events during the Ice Age. These events released plumes of carbon dioxide into the air from the ocean, causing changes in the atmosphere and climate.
Researchers predict that ongoing climate change will intensify westerly winds in the Southern Ocean, decreasing its ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide. This could lead to further increases in carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere and exacerbate climate change effects.
The study findings published in Pnas science magazine highlight