Fermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global Warming
Although the scientific principles of anthropogenic climate change are well-established, existing calculations of the warming effect of carbon dioxide rely on spectral absorption databases, which obscures the physical foundations of the climate problem. Here, we show how CO _2 radiative forcing can...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | The Planetary Science Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad226d |
| _version_ | 1797265998168981504 |
|---|---|
| author | R. Wordsworth J. T. Seeley K. P. Shine |
| author_facet | R. Wordsworth J. T. Seeley K. P. Shine |
| author_sort | R. Wordsworth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although the scientific principles of anthropogenic climate change are well-established, existing calculations of the warming effect of carbon dioxide rely on spectral absorption databases, which obscures the physical foundations of the climate problem. Here, we show how CO _2 radiative forcing can be expressed via a first-principles description of the molecule’s key vibrational-rotational transitions. Our analysis elucidates the dependence of carbon dioxide’s effectiveness as a greenhouse gas on the Fermi resonance between the symmetric stretch mode ν _1 and bending mode ν _2 . It is remarkable that an apparently accidental quantum resonance in an otherwise ordinary three-atom molecule has had such a large impact on our planet’s climate over geologic time, and will also help determine its future warming due to human activity. In addition to providing a simple explanation of CO _2 radiative forcing on Earth, our results may have implications for understanding radiation and climate on other planets. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:53:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40bd99a605d440dfadc3f0feb93b6252 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2632-3338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:53:42Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Planetary Science Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-40bd99a605d440dfadc3f0feb93b62522024-03-11T11:57:39ZengIOP PublishingThe Planetary Science Journal2632-33382024-01-01536710.3847/PSJ/ad226dFermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global WarmingR. Wordsworth0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1127-8334J. T. Seeley1K. P. Shine2School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ; rwordsworth@seas.harvard.edu; Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA 02138, USASchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA 02138, USA ; rwordsworth@seas.harvard.eduDepartment of Meteorology, University of Reading , Reading, RG6 6ET, UKAlthough the scientific principles of anthropogenic climate change are well-established, existing calculations of the warming effect of carbon dioxide rely on spectral absorption databases, which obscures the physical foundations of the climate problem. Here, we show how CO _2 radiative forcing can be expressed via a first-principles description of the molecule’s key vibrational-rotational transitions. Our analysis elucidates the dependence of carbon dioxide’s effectiveness as a greenhouse gas on the Fermi resonance between the symmetric stretch mode ν _1 and bending mode ν _2 . It is remarkable that an apparently accidental quantum resonance in an otherwise ordinary three-atom molecule has had such a large impact on our planet’s climate over geologic time, and will also help determine its future warming due to human activity. In addition to providing a simple explanation of CO _2 radiative forcing on Earth, our results may have implications for understanding radiation and climate on other planets.https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad226dEarth atmosphereGreenhouse effectPlanetary atmospheresPlanetary climates |
| spellingShingle | R. Wordsworth J. T. Seeley K. P. Shine Fermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global Warming The Planetary Science Journal Earth atmosphere Greenhouse effect Planetary atmospheres Planetary climates |
| title | Fermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global Warming |
| title_full | Fermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global Warming |
| title_fullStr | Fermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global Warming |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global Warming |
| title_short | Fermi Resonance and the Quantum Mechanical Basis of Global Warming |
| title_sort | fermi resonance and the quantum mechanical basis of global warming |
| topic | Earth atmosphere Greenhouse effect Planetary atmospheres Planetary climates |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad226d |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rwordsworth fermiresonanceandthequantummechanicalbasisofglobalwarming AT jtseeley fermiresonanceandthequantummechanicalbasisofglobalwarming AT kpshine fermiresonanceandthequantummechanicalbasisofglobalwarming |