Carbon-Climate Engine
Simulation Scenarios
4,500
Cumulative carbon released from methane clathrates, volcanic sills, or fossil combustion.
1.2
PETM averaged ~1-2 Pg C/yr; Modern anthropogenic rate is ~10-11 Pg C/yr (10x faster).
1.40
Megadrought frequency & precipitation flashiness driving soil moisture deficits.
+5.5°C
Equilibrium surface temperature response modulated by polar amplification.
Terrestrial Biome Distribution & Dieback Matrix
-55.93 Ma (Hyperthermal Peak)
Historical PETM Chronology Scrubber
-55.930 Ma
-56.20 Ma (Pre-PETM)
-55.93 Ma (Peak)
-55.70 Ma (Recovery)
Live Telemetry & Proxies
Real-time Flux
Global Surface Temp
26.8°C
+5.8°C vs pre-industrial
Atmospheric pCO₂
1,840 ppm
Stomatal proxy match
Forest Canopy Cover
54.2%
-45.8% biome loss
Soil Carbon Feedback
+3.4 Pg/yr
Heterotrophic release
Biomass Loss vs. Atmospheric CO₂ Trajectory
PETM Fossil Proxy vs. Modern Parallels
| Proxy / Metric | 56 Ma PETM Proxy | 21st Century Parallels |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon Rate | 1.0–2.0 Pg C / yr | 10.5 Pg C / yr (5–10×) |
| Tropical Biome | Bighorn Basin & Neotropics flora shift to scrub | Amazon savannization risk >2.5°C |
| High Latitudes | Metasequoia swamps in Arctic (75°N) | Boreal wildfire + permafrost thaw |
| Recovery Window | ~100,000–150,000 yrs | Deep millennial ocean/rock sink |