Factual answers to some faqs
1. At what rate is the carbon dioxide entering the earth’s
atmosphere?
16 billion
metric tons per year.
2. What is the primary source of
this carbon dioxide?
Combustion of fossil fuels currently (2011) produces 32.5
billion metric tons per year. Thus, through the combustion of fossil fuels alone, more than twice the rate
at which it is appearing in the atmosphere.
3. Where does the rest of the carbon dioxide go?
It is difficult to know the amount with precision, but the
increasing acidity of the ocean indicates that a large portion dissolves
there.
4. What is the power emitted to space at the top
of the atmosphere by the earth?
About 240 watts per
square meter
5. How much power is emitted
to the atmosphere by the earth’s
surface?
390 watts per square meter
6. Why do the answers to 4 and 5 differ?
About 250 watts per
square meter originating from the earth is absorbed in the atmosphere and 150 watts per square meter(the
difference between answers 4 and 5)) returns to the earth’s surface
7. What is the fraction of that power that arises because of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
About 39%
8 What is the current rate of increase of power
to the earth’s surface as a result of the increasing carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere?
About
9. By how much would
the earth’s average temperature increase if the carbon dioxide concentration doubled?
About 1.5 degrees
plus feedback effects (estimated to be another 1.5 degrees or more)
10. At the current rate of increase in the rate at which
carbon dioxide is entering the atmosphere how long would this doubling take?
120 years
