The Carbon Cycle from Space

Datum 20.10.2021
Zeit16:15 Uhr
Ort Online
Referent Prof. David Schimel (CalTech)
Abstract The global carbon cycle - the natural exchange of carbon between land, atmosphere and ocean reservoirs - modulated the impact of anthropogenic emissions on the climate system. Understanding the feedbacks between anthropogenic emissions and the natural cycle had been a grand scientific a challenge for decades and one that has always been hampered by the sparsity of observations. Over the last decade, space-based observations have transformed carbon science, although the full impact is still being realized. Today, space-based measurements provide a benchmark for the measurement of carbon storage in biomass, land photosynthesis and carbon dioxide itself. I will review scientific findings from these three key observations, and discuss the opportunities they provide going forward.