Keeling Curve: measured rise of atmospheric CO2
Curva de Keeling: aumento medido del CO2 atmosférico
- Date
- 1958-1961 · confidence high
- Place
- Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, United States
- Credited to
- Charles David Keeling (Scripps Institution of Oceanography)
- People
- 👤 Charles David Keeling1928–2005
- Field
- Knowledge & symbols
What was discovered
In 1958 Keeling began continuous, precise measurements of CO2 at Mauna Loa, revealing the biosphere's seasonal cycle and a sustained rise from 315 ppm to more than 420 ppm today. It is the central empirical proof of anthropogenic climate change.
Coordinates of the Mauna Loa Observatory. The series nearly ended due to funding cuts in 1964.
What it led to
- Direct evidence of the accumulation of fossil emissions
- IPCC reports
- The most iconic climate record in science
Built on
- Greenhouse effect: Fourier, Tyndall and Arrhenius1824 / 1859 / 1896
- Greenhouse effect (Arrhenius)
- Revelle and Suess: the ocean does not absorb all the CO2 (1957)
Made possible
- Anthropogenic climate change1938 / 1979 / 1988
- High-precision infrared gas analyser
- Global greenhouse gas monitoring network