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Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but is a volcano the best place for an unbiased CO2 observatory? Even if dormant, I assume that CO2 vents out of the volc

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but is a volcano the best place for an unbiased CO2 observatory? Even if dormant, I assume that CO2 vents out of the volcano naturally? Please note I am not trolling or trying to be skeptical, this is just an honest question.

calcifer 7y ago
> Please note I am not trolling or trying to be skeptical You may not be trolling but you are being skeptical. Specifically, the way you worded your question ("unbiased observatory") makes it sound like the scientists who put it there did so not for scientific reasons, but for some... agenda? Personally, since I'm not an expert on environmental sciences, I have no trouble believing the observatory is there for perfectly sound scientific reasons.
- gavanwoolery 7y ago
  I assume they put the observatory at that site for a reason as well, I just want to learn why. I honestly have no agenda and personally do believe in anthropogenic global warming. :)
  - calcifer 7y ago
    Fair enough, it's probably the "unbiased" that kinda rubbed me the wrong way :)
    - gavanwoolery 7y ago
      I hear you, it is often hard to decipher intentions online - anyhow, I answered my own question using the power of Google: https://skepticalscience.com/mauna-loa-volcano-co2-measurements.htm https://skepticalscience.com/mauna-loa-volcano-co2-measureme...
      - calcifer 7y ago
        Nice find! TLDR below: > Why Mauna Loa? Early attempts to measure CO2 in the USA and Scandinavia found that the readings varied a lot due to the influence of growing plants and the exhaust from motors. Mauna Loa is ideal because it is so remote from big population centres. Also, on tropical islands at night, the prevailing winds blow from the land out to sea, which effect brings clean, well-mixed Central Pacific air from high in the atmosphere to the observatory. This removes any interference coming from the vegetation lower down on the island. > But how about gas from the volcano? It is true that volcanoes blow out CO2 from time to time and that this can interfere with the readings. Most of the time, though, the prevailing winds blow the volcanic gasses away from the observatory. But when the winds do sometimes blow from active vents towards the observatory, the influence from the volcano is obvious on the normally consistent records and any dubious readings can be easily spotted and edited out.

calcifer 7y ago

> Please note I am not trolling or trying to be skeptical You may not be trolling but you are being skeptical. Specifically, the way you worded your question ("unbiased observatory") makes it sound like the scientists who put it there did so not for scientific reasons, but for some... agenda? Personally, since I'm not an expert on environmental sciences, I have no trouble believing the observatory is there for perfectly sound scientific reasons.

gavanwoolery 7y ago
I assume they put the observatory at that site for a reason as well, I just want to learn why. I honestly have no agenda and personally do believe in anthropogenic global warming. :)
- calcifer 7y ago
  Fair enough, it's probably the "unbiased" that kinda rubbed me the wrong way :)
  - gavanwoolery 7y ago
    I hear you, it is often hard to decipher intentions online - anyhow, I answered my own question using the power of Google: https://skepticalscience.com/mauna-loa-volcano-co2-measurements.htm https://skepticalscience.com/mauna-loa-volcano-co2-measureme...
    - calcifer 7y ago
      Nice find! TLDR below: > Why Mauna Loa? Early attempts to measure CO2 in the USA and Scandinavia found that the readings varied a lot due to the influence of growing plants and the exhaust from motors. Mauna Loa is ideal because it is so remote from big population centres. Also, on tropical islands at night, the prevailing winds blow from the land out to sea, which effect brings clean, well-mixed Central Pacific air from high in the atmosphere to the observatory. This removes any interference coming from the vegetation lower down on the island. > But how about gas from the volcano? It is true that volcanoes blow out CO2 from time to time and that this can interfere with the readings. Most of the time, though, the prevailing winds blow the volcanic gasses away from the observatory. But when the winds do sometimes blow from active vents towards the observatory, the influence from the volcano is obvious on the normally consistent records and any dubious readings can be easily spotted and edited out.