The earth is experiencing a warming period (approx 0.6oC in the past 80 years), and greenhouse gases play a primary role in maintaining and controlling this temperature. It is understood that warming considerably impacts the environment in various areas, including sea levels, coral reefs, weather events, hypoxic zones, and even population migration.
Historical data based on ice core sampling clearly shows the correlation between temperature and CO2 levels over the past 800,000 years. However, over the past 80 years since the beginning of the industrial revolution, CO2 levels have nearly doubled, which must have an impact on the recent warming. Efforts are underway by governments around the globe to cap and even reduce CO2 levels in the hope of capping and even reversing this warming.
There is no doubt that CO2 plays a role in the temperature increase; however, is it the sole driver? Can we devise a method of measuring the correlation between CO2 and temperature and estimating how significant a part it plays?
The project will be to set up an experiment and perform this correlation between CO2, H2O, and temperature in an attempt to empirically quantify the impact of each on temperature rise.
Undergraduate
The outcome with be to set up the correlation experiments and perform a series of controls for the various gases under different conditions. Given time, it will also include developing a model for the correlation.
Ultimately we would like to predict what temperature rise we could expect from a rise in CO2 from 200ppm to 400ppm and the impact of humidity.
None
No lab has been assigned to this project