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Scientists Find That Earth's Carbon Dioxide Levels Haven't Been This High in 15 Million Years
October 19, 2009
Earth scientists have a very good understanding of how carbon-dioxide levels have varied in the atmosphere over the last 800,000 years, but there has been little agreement on the levels before then. A study led by Aradhna Tripati, a visiting researcher in geochemistry at Caltech, has now supplied a missing piece of the puzzle, showing that at least 15 million years have passed since CO2 levels were as high as they are today.
"The last time carbon dioxide levels were apparently as high as they are today and were sustained at those levels, global temperatures were five to 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher than they are today, sea level was approximately 75 to 120 feet higher than today, and there was no permanent sea ice cap in the Arctic and very little ice on Antarctica and Greenland," says Tripati, whose team included Caltech postdoc Robert Eagle. To read the complete report, go to Science online.
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