NASA Satellite Maps How Carbon Dioxide Travels Across the Globe (VIDEO)

Scientists have gotten an all new view of carbon dioxide. An ultra-high-resolution NASA computer models reveals how carbon dioxide in the atmosphere travels around the globe.

For decades, scientists have made ground-based measurements of carbon dioxide. Then in July, NASA launched the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) satellite in order to make space-based carbon observations. Now, researchers have created a new computer model that's the first to show, in fine detail, how carbon dioxide moves through the atmosphere.

"While the presence of carbon dioxide has dramatic global consequences, it's fascinating to see how local emission sources and weather systems produce gradients of its concentration on a very regional scale," said Bill Putman, the lead scientist on the new project, in a news release. "Simulations like this, combined with data from observations, will help improve our understanding of both human emissions of carbon dioxide and natural fluxes across the globe."

The new computer model shows how plumes of carbon dioxide swirl and shift as winds disperse the greenhouse gas away from its sources. The simulation also shows the differences in carbon dioxide levels between the northern and southern hemispheres. It also reveals the distinct swings in global carbon dioxide concentrations as the growth cycle of plants and trees changes with the seasons.

The visualization part of the new simulation is called "Nature Run." It ingests real data on atmospheric conditions and the emission of greenhouse gases and both natural and man-made particulates. Then, the model is left to run on its own and simulate the natural behavior of the Earth's atmosphere. Now, scientists are releasing Nature Run to the scientific community for the first time.

"We're very excited to share this revolutionary dataset with the modeling and data assimilation community," said Putman. "And we hope the comprehensiveness of this product and its groundbreaking resolution will provide a platform for research and discovery throughout the Earth science community."

Want to see it for yourself? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.