Quantum phenomena may explain CO2’s impact on global warming

More than 160 years ago, the small molecule responsible for warming the Earth – carbon dioxide (CO2) – was discovered by North American scientist Eunice Foote. Recently, in a study published on the preprint server arXiv and accepted in the scientific journal The Planetary Science Journal, scientists One Quantum phenomenon that can better explain the functioning of this gas that causes global warming.

During his research, Foote realized that carbon dioxide had the ability to trap heat, and that this property could cause the temperature of the planet to rise. According to researchers, the reason why CO2 absorbs heat so well is due to the way the three atoms of the molecule vibrate as they absorb solar radiation.

Quantum phenomena work like this: When certain wavelengths of infrared radiation are received from the Sun, the carbon and oxygen atoms in CO2 bend and stretch. So the perfect alignment of these vibrational patterns creates a kind of quantum buzz that can cause the molecule to vibrate even more; this results in a higher temperature.

“It is remarkable that a seemingly random quantum resonance in an otherwise ordinary three-atomic molecule can have such a large impact on our planet’s climate over geological time and also help determine future warming due to human nature-related activities,” the scientists said. Those involved in the investigation are described in the preliminary broadcast.

Fermi resonance: quantum phenomenon and CO2

Robin Wordsworth, co-author of the paper and Harvard University planetary scientist, explains: this quantum phenomenon, Also known as the Fermi resonance, It is critical to understanding why carbon dioxide is so important in warming the Earth.

To understand the results, the group of researchers used mathematical equations that mix molecular spectroscopy and quantum physics.

Researchers say the study offers a simple explanation for how CO2 is responsible for warming Earth’s climate. They also believe that results can be achieved. To aid future research trying to understand climate functioning in the atmospheres of other planets.

“This could be a particularly useful way to increase intuition and provide a reality check of the results of complex climate models. We can imagine that by small differences in the quantum structure of CO2 this resonance could be altered or blocked, and the past and future evolution of our planet’s climate could be very different,” the researchers add.

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