Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth

FACTS:

Global Warming
The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased due to the extensive burning of fossil fuels, which started with the industrial revolution around 1850. Since then, global temperature has also increased. Because carbon dioxide is a greehouse gas, scientists believe it is partly responsible for this warming.

Glacial Ice Records the Climate of Past Ages
The composition of the ice itself and of the air bubbles and dust trapped in it record changes in temperature, humidity, atmospheric circulation, volcanic activity, extent of sea ice, and even atmospheric pollution by human activity. The upper layers of ice cores are dated by counting the annual dark and light layers, which reflect seasonal variations in atmospheric dust. Deep layers are compressed and deformed, making the climate record less distinct.
Carbon Dioxide and Global Warming

The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is related to global temperature: as the earth warms, CO2 increases, and vice versa. Measuring CO2 in ice cores provides a record of atmospheric CO2 variation over thousands of yrs- from one glacial period to another. By tracking the natural variability of CO2, scientists have discovered that the recent rise in atmospheric CO2 has been caused by human activities.

Pollutants from Human Activity
The burning of coal releases nitrogen and sulfur compounds into the atmosphere. They show up as higher concentrations of nitrate and sulfate compounds in ice. Average increases in these pollutants bacome evident in ice core layers beginning in the late 19th century.