A model for atmospheric CO2 over Phanerozoic time

Abstract

A new model has been constructed for calculating the level of atmospheric CO2 over Phanerozoic time which is much simpler mathematically than the BLAG model, but more complex geologically and biologically. Mathematical simplification comes about by following the cycle of carbon only, lumping all carbonate minerals together, combining the ocean and atmosphere into one reservoir, and calculating atmospheric CO2 level as a series of successive ocean-atmosphere steady states. Results suggest that there has been a notable pattern of varying atmospheric CO2 level over the past 570 my with high levels during the Mesozoic and early Paleozoic and low levels during the Permo-Carboniferous and late Cenozoic. -from Author