How to use the co₂ radiative forcing calculator
Estimate climate forcing from a CO₂ concentration change. Enter co₂ concentration, reference concentration, climate sensitivity in the fields above; the radiative forcing, equilibrium warming are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Formula
Variables
- C — CO₂ concentration (ppm)
- C0 — Reference concentration (ppm)
- ls — Climate sensitivity (°C per doubling)
Worked example
With co₂ concentration = 420 ppm, reference concentration = 280 ppm, climate sensitivity = 3 °C per doubling, the calculator gives radiative forcing ≈ 2.169238 W/m²; equilibrium warming ≈ 1.754888 °C.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for the co₂ radiative forcing calculation?
Radiative forcing (W/m²) = 5.35 × ln(C / C0). Equilibrium warming (°C) = ls × ln(C / C0) / ln(2). Here C is co₂ concentration (ppm), C0 is reference concentration (ppm), ls is climate sensitivity (°C per doubling).
What inputs do I need for the co₂ radiative forcing calculator?
You need co₂ concentration in ppm, reference concentration in ppm, climate sensitivity in °C per doubling. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use this calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.