Earth’s temperature is controlled by Carbon dioxide – Results of a new study

A new atmosphere-ocean climate modeling study by Dr Andrew Lacis and colleagues at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York has shown that the planet's temperature ultimately depends on the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide accounts for about 20 percent of the greenhouse effect, water vapor and clouds together account for another 75 percent, and minor gases and aerosols make up the remaining five percent. The researchers conclude that it is the 25 percent non-condensing greenhouse gas component, which includes carbon dioxide that is the key factor in sustaining Earth's greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide is responsible for 80 percent of the radiative forcing that sustains the Earth's greenhouse effect. CO₂, like ozone, N₂O, CH₄, and chlorofluorocarbons, does not condense and precipitate from the atmosphere at current climate temperatures, whereas water vapor can and does.

The modeling also enabled the researchers to demonstrate that direct relationship exists between rising atmospheric carbon dioxide and rising global temperature.

The paper titled “Atmospheric CO₂: Principal Control Knob Governing Earth’s Temperature” appear in the latest issue of science.