Here's a breakdown of their contributions:
* Roger Revelle: Revelle was a pioneer in oceanography and climate science. He was instrumental in establishing the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, which became the site for Keeling's groundbreaking research. Revelle's work highlighted the role of the ocean in absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and the potential for human activities to disrupt this natural balance.
* Charles David Keeling: Keeling is best known for his meticulous measurements of atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa, starting in 1958. He developed a highly accurate method for measuring CO2 and established the "Keeling Curve," which showed a steady and alarming increase in atmospheric CO2 over time. This curve became a landmark piece of evidence for human-caused climate change.
Their work revolutionized our understanding of the carbon cycle and its role in climate change. Keeling's meticulous measurements and the resulting Keeling Curve provided irrefutable evidence of the increasing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, a direct result of human activities like burning fossil fuels.
