Science - Atmospheric CO2: Principal Control Knob Governing Earth’s Temperature (not H2O vapor)

[jpak]

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/330/6002/356

Atmospheric CO2: Principal Control Knob Governing Earth’s Temperature
Andrew A. Lacis,* Gavin A. Schmidt, David Rind, Reto A. Ruedy

Ample physical evidence shows that carbon dioxide (CO2) is the single most important climate-relevant greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere. This is because CO2, like ozone, N2O, CH4, and chlorofluorocarbons, does not condense and precipitate from the atmosphere at current climate temperatures, whereas water vapor can and does. Noncondensing greenhouse gases, which account for 25% of the total terrestrial greenhouse effect, thus serve to provide the stable temperature structure that sustains the current levels of atmospheric water vapor and clouds via feedback processes that account for the remaining 75% of the greenhouse effect. Without the radiative forcing supplied by CO2 and the other noncondensing greenhouse gases, the terrestrial greenhouse would collapse, plunging the global climate into an icebound Earth state.

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This is another nail in the denier disinformation coffin.

yup

[tabatha]

1. Goldilock's three bear porridges

If there were no CO2 in the atmosphere, the planet would be a cold, uninhabitable place.
If there is too much CO2 in atmosphere, the planet would be a boiling hot, uninhabitable place.
With just enough CO2, it is neither too cold nor too hot, but just right and inhabitable.

[Lorien]

2. But the deners are still unreccing this thread

because they know it's the truth!

[Nihil]

3. Too late to rec but can at least kick this for visibility. (n/t)