During Year of Extremes, Carbon Dioxide Levels Surge Faster than Ever

Robert MonroeDaily Measurements, Keeling Curve History

Rainbow frames NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory. Photo: Brian Vasel, NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory

Carbon dioxide is accumulating in the atmosphere faster than ever — accelerating on a steep rise to levels far above any experienced during human existence, scientists from NOAA and Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego announced today. Scientists at Scripps Oceanography, which initiated the CO2 monitoring program known as the Keeling Curve at Mauna Loa in 1958 and … Read More

Largest Year–Over-Year Gain in Keeling Curve Set in March

Robert MonroeAnnouncement, Measurement Notes

New record for largest 12-month gain in carbon dioxide concentration ever observed The monthly average concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere measured at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory in March 2024 was 4.7 parts per million (ppm) higher than that recorded in March 2023, setting a new record and revealing the increasing pace of CO2 addition to the atmosphere by … Read More

What Does This Number Mean?

Robert MonroeMeasurement Notes

Repost of April 2013 entry The Mauna Loa carbon dioxide (CO2) record, also known as the “Keeling Curve,” is the world’s longest unbroken record of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.  

A Keeling Curve Funding Update – April 2015

Robert MonroeOutreach

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego O2 and CO2 programs have received funding from multiple sources that put these operations on a relatively secure footing for the next few years.

A note on recent readings

Robert MonroeMeasurement Notes

In response to a recent reader comment about wide fluctuations in CO2 readings at Mauna Loa, Ralph Keeling and Stephen Walker of the Scripps CO2 Group gave the following answer: It’s fairly normal, especially in the summer time, to see strong afternoon “dips” in the CO2 concentration.  The dips are generally caused by upslope winds that that are depleted in … Read More