Data Acquisition

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NASA Computer Model Visualizes a Year of Earth's Carbon Dioxide

An ultra-high-resolution NASA computer model has given scientists a new look at how carbon dioxide in the atmosphere travels around the globe. The carbon dioxide visualization was produced by a computer model called GEOS-5, created by scientists at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Global Modeling and Assimilation Office. Plumes of carbon dioxide in the simulation swirl and shift as winds disperse the greenhouse gas away from its sources. The simulation also illustrates differences in carbon dioxide levels in the northern and southern hemispheres and distinct swings in global carbon dioxide concentrations as the growth cycle of plants and trees changes with the seasons. The visualization is a product of a simulation called a 'Nature Run.' It ingests real data on atmospheric conditions and the emission of greenhouse gases and both natural and man-made particulates. The model is then left to run on its own and simulate the natural behavior of the Earth's atmosphere. This Nature Run simulates January 2006 through December 2006.