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Published on: October 21, 2016
Residence Time vs. Adjustment Time of Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere
1DEEI, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
Abstract:
We study the concepts of residence time vs. adjustment time time for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The system is analyzed with a two-box first-order model. Using this model, we reach three important conclusions: (1) The adjustment time is never larger than the residence time and can, thus, not be longer than about 5 years. (2) The idea of the atmosphere being stable at 280 ppm in pre-industrial times is untenable. (3) Nearly 90% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide has already been removed from the atmosphere.
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