Feedback between Carbon Dioxide and Temperature in the Atmosphere

The feedback between carbon dioxide, CO2, and the temperature of the atmosphere is analyzed. Starting with the assumption that the average temperature is a function of the carbon-dioxide concentration in the atmosphere, [CO2], the so-called greenhouse effect, feedback is introduced into the system: increased temperature can further increase the CO2 concentration that causes the temperature rise in so-called positive feedback. On the basis of the available data, it is argued that this cannot be the case; the feedback must be negative at the moment. Moreover, the observed correlation between [CO2] and temperature varies across different time scales, suggesting different processes are at work. It is not possible to explain all the data with a single phenomenon like the greenhouse effect, even when feedback is included.