Carbon and Climate A talk by Dr. Bob Field, Research Scholar in Residence and adjunct physics professor

1. Carbon and Climate A talk by Dr. Bob Field, Research Scholar in Residence and adjunct physics professor This talk will explore the abundance and flows of carbon in the solid Earth, oceans, atmosphere, and biosphere and the role of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon forms the backbone of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and even DNA. Carbon also plays a central role in biogeochemical processes, trapping vital heat as it cycles through the atmosphere.

2. www.calpoly.edu/~rfield Carbon in the Geobiosphere.htm Thermalstructure.htm drbobfield bobfield64 The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance (Socrates) Return to Physics Department Home Page

4. typical textbook values

6. Recent Pre-industrial Global Carbon Cycle with major land flows major carbon fluxes into and out of the atmosphere, soil, and land biota atmosphere 600 CO2 from organics 60 CO2 weathering 0.2 NPP 60.6 land biota 700 decay 60.6 land and soil 3000 based on F.T. Mackenzie & A. Lerman, Geobiology Vol 25: Carbon in the Geobiosphere – Earth’s Outer Shell GPP ~ 110 respiration ~ 50

7. Recent Pre-industrial Global Carbon Cycle with major ocean flows major carbon fluxes into and out of the atmosphere, ocean, and ocean biota atmosphere 600 CO2 evasion warm ocean 90.5 CO2 dissolution cold ocean 90 ocean biota 3 NPP 50 decay 50 ocean 40,000 based on F.T. Mackenzie & A. Lerman, Geobiology Vol 25: Carbon in the Geobiosphere – Earth’s Outer Shell GPP ~ 93 respiration ~ 43

8. atmosphere 600 CO2 from organics 0.1 CO2 volcanism and metamorphism 0.2 CO2 from organics 60 CO2 evasion warm ocean 90.5 CO2 weathering 0.2 NPP 60.6 CO2 dissolution cold ocean 90 ocean biota 3 land biota 700 NPP 50 decay 50 decay 60.6 ocean 40,000 land and soil 3000 river erosion 1.2 uplift 0.4 carbonate sediment 0.6 organic sediment 0.1 sediments 80,000,000 subduction 0.2 crust 3,500,000 upper mantle 132,000,000 lower mantle 400,000,000 Animated Recent Pre-industrial Global Carbon Cycle with nominal flows major carbon fluxes into and out of the atmosphere, ocean, soil, and biota based on F.T. Mackenzie & A. Lerman, Geobiology Vol 25: Carbon in the Geobiosphere – Earth’s Outer Shell

9. Global Carbon Mass Concentrations 120 ppm atmosphere 600 GT 100,000 ppm ocean biota 3 GT 340,000 ppm land biota 700 GT 26 ppm ocean 40,000 GT 116 ppm land and soil 3000 GT 400 ppm sediments 80,000,000 GT 400 ppm crust 3,500,000 GT 140 ppm upper mantle 132,000,000 GT 140 ppm lower mantle 400,000,000 GT based on F.T. Mackenzie & A. Lerman, Geobiology Vol 25: Carbon in the Geobiosphere – Earth’s Outer Shell

11. 2000 scattering by N2, O2 and aerosols 1500 Intensity 1000 500 absorption by ozone, water, and CO2 0 0.3 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 Wavelength Spectrum of Sunlight observed on Earth visible window sun is directly overhead no clouds direct beam only UV Visible Infrared

12. f Snow 60% Clouds 50% Sand 40% Soil 20% Plants 15% Water 8% Average Visible Reflectances of common substances Sun

13. Sun temperature vs. altitude cool -70F 10 km Troposphere has 75% of air density and temperature decrease with altitude altitude warm 60F sea level temperature ocean After Tarbuck

15. 273K water freezes CO2 O3 H2O 255K atmosphere Greenhouse GasesAbsorbBlackbody Radiation 30 288K Earth's surface 25 20 Intensity 15 10 5 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 l Wavelength (microns)

16. 15 12 40 etc. etc. 10 3 etc. 15 Sun Average Global Energy Budget (%) scattered sunlight incident sunlight 100 30 Let’s ignore greenhouse gases Where does the 50+20 go? 20 absorb atmosphere sea + land 50 absorb

17. 27 15 2 2 etc. 38 31 etc. 10 8 etc. 41 24 Sun Average Global Energy Budget (%) scattered sunlight incident sunlight 100 30 Where does the 50+20 really go? 20 absorb atmosphere sea + land 50 absorb

18. radiated heat LWIR 65 5 radiate condense absorb 155 30 105 radiate 110 90 30 absorb evap radiate Sun Average Global Energy Budget (%) scattered sunlight incident sunlight 100 30 20 absorb atmosphere sea + land 50 absorb

19. incoming SW outgoing LW outgoing SW energy flow in the atmosphere incoming LW absorb and scatter SW absorb and emit LW convect moist air convection convection absorb and scatter SW absorb and emit LW convect moist air convection convection absorb and scatter SW absorb and emit LW condense water latent heat conduction absorb and scatter SW absorb and emit LW evaporate water conduct heat troposphere diagram SWLWLH physics senior project: simplified Microsoft Excel model of feedback between atmosphere, oceans, and land

20. tropo20 2007-0503

21. tropo20 2007-0503 without latent heat without latent heat

22. tropo20 2007-0503

23. tropo20 2007-0503

24. tropo20 2007-0503

25. tropo20 2007-0503

26. tropo20 2007-0503

27. tropo20 2007-0503

28. Carbon and Climate The long term persistence of liquid oceans on Earth is essential to climate and to life. Carbon has influenced global climate and the water cycle for billions of years. Fortunately, as the Sun has grown brighter, carbon’s abundance has decreased sharply. Comprising only 150 parts per million in the atmosphere, oceans, and solid Earth, carbon is now concentrated in land and ocean biota and in soils and sediments.