Temperature and Air Data Explorer
- clim856
- Jan 1, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: Mar 11
Different gases stay in the atmosphere for different time periods.
Water vapor (H2O) - a few days
Methane (CH4) - about 10 or more years
Carbon dioxide (CO2) - hundreds to thousands of years
Because methane and carbon dioxide stay in the atmosphere for longer periods, scientists monitor the amount of each using a worldwide data collection system.
You will investigate the amount of these gases in the atmosphere over time. The data set you will explore includes average annual CO2 and CH4 concentrations measured at locations in the United States. It also includes the long-term trend for average annual surface temperature.
Make a copy of the handout or get one from your teacher.
Open the interactive. Explore the locations and data. Use the handout to guide your investigation. Complete Investigation 1.
Be prepared to share your results and discuss the following questions:
What did we figure out by analyzing the CO2 and CH4 data? Is there a predictable trend?
Based on how long these gases stay in the atmosphere, why would scientists be concerned by the patterns in the data?
How much has the amount of the gases changed since they were first measured? How much have they changed in your lifetime?
Credits
The Climate Education Pathways team developed the interactive using data sourced from NOAA Global Monitoring Lab and NOAA National Weather Service. See the About the Data and Representations section in the interactive for more details.