National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)’s Post

Ever-rising levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are heating the planet, amplifying heat waves, and raising sea levels. Managing these troublesome gases has become an international priority. But first we need to accurately measure them. Scientists measure greenhouse gases using light. Each type of gas molecule absorbs specific colors of light, giving it a unique “fingerprint.” By analyzing light that has interacted with the molecules — a technique called spectroscopy — it’s possible to spot these fingerprints and determine how much of each gas is in the atmosphere. These measurements ultimately tell governments and companies where to focus efforts aimed at reining in these planet-warming molecules. Learn more about how these gases are measured: https://lnkd.in/eQKmC7ZT #Environment #Spectroscopy #Measurement #CO2 #Climate

  • Landscape view of buildings and lasers scanning the atmosphere.

I don't know about the measurements but recently I was in my home country, Moldova, and I was burning. I saw an outside thermometer showing 44 °C under the sun. You can't walk barefoot on the soil in the garden. You can't touch metal pieces. The car is like an oven with the seats and steering wheel very hot. It's been like this for more than a month with no rain. It's repeating every year. So global warming feels worse nowadays compared to 20+ years ago. 🥲

Jay Hendricks

Views expressed are my own, Deputy Program Manager for NIST on a Chip & Team Lead at National Institute of Standards and Technology

3w

Great to see how this technology can be used for climate change applications

Philip Schrodt

Independent Research Professional

3w

Power Grid Clean Air Antenna Array Volt * Ampere = Watt TlvVS = Watt https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.330-2019 Ohm’s Law, S.I. Untis & 8th grade math

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Mary Diehl

Apple Business Support@ Apple | Customer Experience, Account Security

2w

Interesting!

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