Hello Mr. Lane!!
I've followed your description of the team's research with much interest, and enjoyed reading answers to questions of students.
Though I work in a different field in considering organic chemical half-lives, implications of research of the tundra carbon-cycle is fascinating.
" ... very slowly decaying organic material has caused carbon to build up in the Arctic during the past thousands of years" with effects of warming and drying to cause release of trapped carbon in the form of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
When the organic materials come in contact with light or warm temperature or oxygen and begin to decay faster, is it a concern about how much carbon there was to begin with thousands of years ago? Where did the carbon come from before? Does the explanation simply imply increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere close to the earth effects changes in the upper atmosphere ozone layer near the north pole, allowing carbon to 'escape' from close proximity to the earth into the upper atmosphere?
In general, do you think there is any difference in air composition of northern regions i.e. percentage of carbon dioxide, than other parts of the earth?
Here is a dumb question....why do educated people still believe there is some question about global warming effects/
Thank you for all the interesting insights, description of experiences, and explanations. I have had a great time (outside of imagining -30 degrees Fahrenheit) learning of the research team, and about the arctic climate of the United States.
Thanks, again, and take care! Dr. Nakajima