Formulating energy policies related to fossil fuel use [electronic resource] : Critical uncertainties in the global carbon cycle

Published:: Washington, D.C : United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Energy Research, 1990.
Oak Ridge, Tenn. : Distributed by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Physical Description:: Pages: (21 pages) : digital, PDF file
Additional Creators:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, United States. Department of Energy. Office of Energy Research, and United States. Department of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information

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Summary:

The global carbon cycle is the dynamic interaction among the earth's carbon sources and sinks. Four reservoirs can be identified, including the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere, oceans, and sediments. Atmospheric CO₂ concentration is determined by characteristics of carbon fluxes among major reservoirs of the global carbon cycle. The objective of this paper is to document the knowns, and unknowns and uncertainties associated with key questions that if answered will increase the understanding of the portion of past, present, and future atmospheric CO₂ attributable to fossil fuel burning. Documented atmospheric increases in CO₂ levels are thought to result primarily from fossil fuel use and, perhaps, deforestation. However, the observed atmospheric CO₂ increase is less than expected from current understanding of the global carbon cycle because of poorly understood interactions among the major carbon reservoirs. 87 refs.

Report Numbers:

E 1.99:conf-900255-1
conf-900255-1

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Note:

Published through SciTech Connect.
01/01/1990.
"conf-900255-1"
"DE90008741"
Southeast regional climate symposium: global change - a southern perspective, Charleston, SC (USA), 19-22 Feb 1990.
Peng, T.-H.; DeAngelis, D.L.; Dale, V.H.; Mann, L.K.; O'Neill, R.V.; Mulholland, P.J.; Post, W.M.; Farrell, M.P.

Funding Information:

AC05-84OR21400

View MARC record | catkey: 14151100