Scientists have been monitoring atmospheric CO2 from which location since 1958?

• A. Cape Canaveral
• B. Mauna Loa Observatory
• C. Mont Blanc Observatory
• D. Andes Observatory

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the long-term, background monitoring of atmospheric CO2 from a site chosen to minimize local pollution and reflect global air. Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii was established for continuous CO2 measurements starting in 1958, producing the famous long-running record known as the Keeling Curve. This site’s high elevation and remoteness from major metropolitan sources give a clean signal of atmospheric CO2 concentrations, capturing the steady rise in CO2 over decades and the regular seasonal fluctuations caused by biosphere activity. The data from Mauna Loa provide a baseline for understanding how human emissions are changing the composition of the global atmosphere.

Cape Canaveral is primarily a launch site and not used for a continuous, long-term CO2 background record. Mont Blanc Observatory and Andes Observatory are not recognized for providing the foundational 1958-start CO2 monitoring data in the way Mauna Loa does.