A new geoengineering scheme to stop global warming was recently proposed by David Keith, a professor of applied physics at Harvard University and a leading expert on energy technology. His plan is quite far from implementation because of the much needed additional research, however the idea sounds too brilliant not to be reported.
So it is simple. Fine droplets of sulfuric acid should be carefully dispersed in the lower stratosphere by customized Gulfstream business jets. At 20 kilometers altitude, sulfur would combine with water vapor and form sulfate aerosols, which would then be distributed all over the globe by natural winds. These aerosols would reflect 1% of the sunlight hitting Earth back into space, increasing the reflective power of our planet and potentially reducing the warming effects of the greenhouse gases.
Of course, all consequences should be weighed and assessed before such activity takes place. There is a danger of disrupting precipitation patterns, causing depletion of the ozone layer, but Keith has done enough analysis and calculations to suspect that the method is quite feasible.
He estimated that if the operation starts in 2020, the required sulfuric acid to counteract the warming effect of the greenhouse gases would be 25,000 metric tons. By 2040, this value would rise to 250,000, while in 2070 it might well reach more than a million tons per year.
He also calculated that a few grams of sulfuric acid in the stratosphere could offset warming caused by a ton of carbon dioxide. Considering that most of the pollutants remain in the lower atmosphere, the acid molecules are washed in a few days. But in the stratosphere, these same molecules could remain for years, making them very effective at reflecting sunlight.
Previous studies, dating back to the mid-1970s, have already proposed such a measure to combat global warming. The idea has been reported as solar radiation management, or SRM, and numerous studies have tried to simulate its possible effects. Keith, however, is one of the most active supporters.
He states that the key to combating global warming is understanding that the accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide is irreversible, because climate change is related to the total cumulative emissions.
Keith is determined to prove that SRM is the way forward, planning a series of experiments that aim to test how sulfuric acid should be distributed and to measure the influence of the acid on the ozone layer. The uncertainties, however, are quite large and the consequences could be big and irreversible.
There are many critics of the idea, who have expressed strong opinions against SRM and geoengineering in general. In addition, the experiments are likely to raise various social and political issues. However, there are still many climate scientists, who would present different interpretations about this research and the risks.
Keith is certain that for such measure to be implemented successfully there is a strong need of international governance, and of course wider knowledge. The Harvard professor is keen to attract more scientists to his team, who will sign an agreement for deploying solar engineering, and free up research.
Many believe Keith’s approach is very radical and almost impossible to be implemented, as he suggests, in 2020. Such major decisions should be carefully considered, because they could create a different world.
Despite everything, Keith is surely right about one thing. Climate researchers and political scientists should definitely explore every possibility, because the effect of global warming is becoming more and more apparent.
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4031 total comments so far. What's your opinion ?
This is called chemtrails and its been done from at least the 80's. You can see (also in older films and just outside) the waaay to long white lines in the sky that just all of a sudden magically become clouds. They use aluminium, barium and strontium and those are bad for human, plant and animal life.
So coal fired plants put sulfur in the air that mixes with water and makes sulfuric acid and they yell ACID RAIN is falling stop the coal burning. Now this nut wants to do it on purpose, there is so much wrong with this article I don't no where to start. You can not stop climate change it's been going on long before you even knew the earth was round. You look at a thimble full of water and claim to know everything about the ocean. What arrogance. Balance the equation first know what the true difference is prior to making any decision. The statement that atmospheric carbon can not be reversed is such crap and is based upon what? Just about every life form on this planet is carbon based. Where do they get it from huh? Plants absorb carbon out of there surroundings and other life forms consume them. We are all part of the carbon cycle. The oceans absorb massive amounts of carbon every year through the life forms that live in them. So you want to reduce the carbon in our cycle, plant a tree make a coffee table out of it. Sequester the carbon, that is take it out of the active cycle. Oh and by the way all that fossil fuel people rail about is made up of carbon that was actively in the cycle in the past. World didn't end then so why would it now. Another thing you might want to think about before trying to manage solar radiation the push for solar based energy production will not survive. What typical hype from people who don't have a clue as to what they are talking about. We can't even predict the weather for over 24 hours with any bit of accuracy so why would anyone believe they could control climate change or global warming.
