Watch how carbon dioxide moves through the Earth's atmosphere

This global map shows carbon dioxide concentrations as the gas moved through Earth's atmosphere from January to March 2020, driven by wind patterns and atmospheric circulation. Thanks to the high resolution of the model, you can zoom in and see carbon dioxide emissions rising from power plants, fires and cities, which then spread across continents and oceans.

"As policymakers and as scientists, we're trying to explain where carbon comes from and how it affects the planet," said climate scientist Lesley Ott of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "Here you see how everything is connected by these different weather patterns."

What are the sources of CO2?

In China, the United States and South Asia, most emissions come from power plants, industrial facilities and cars and trucks, Ott said. Meanwhile, in Africa and South America, emissions largely came from fires, particularly those related to land management, controlled agricultural burning and deforestation, along with oil and coal burning. Carbon dioxide is released during combustion. (More on science.nasa.gov)