Geoengineering: Can we control the weather?

Geoengineering is the condition used to describe the manipulation of weather to combat the effects of global calefacient, according to the Oxford Geoengineering Programme ( opens in raw pill ). These methods are generally split into two categories — carbon dioxide removal and solar geoengineering. Removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere helps to prevent the sun ’ sulfur warmheartedness being trapped in Earth ’ s lower standard atmosphere and reduce ocean acidification. interim solar geoengineering is an attack to reflect sunlight bet on into space. here are some of the proposed and existing geoengineering processes, designed to alter the climate.

Should we control the weather ?

It may be the topic of daily small talk, but the weather and its changing states has a big shock on individuals, localized areas and the planet as a whole. In some countries prolonged drought creates harsh, dry conditions, while others are constantly threatened by surges of floodwater. Severe weather varies drastically from state to country, but according to the United Nations ( opens in new tab key ), one change in climate is common worldwide — global temperatures continue to steadily increase. As modern engineering advances and our understand of meteorologic processes grows, scientists are discovering new ways to control the upwind. rather of succumbing to nature ‘s schedule, projects are in position to make the skies rain, remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and prevent extreme weather events such as hurricanes and implosion therapy. Related: Can we stop Earth from heating up? While sometimes it may be merely commodious to manipulate the weather, it may besides at times be essential. The goal of geoengineering is to protect the planet. however, some scientists believe humans should n’t play with environment, according to Nature ( opens in new yellow journalism ). The result may appear convinced when analyzed in hypothesis, and with the cognition we possess, but what about the consequences we are unaware of ? As humans, we have played a significant function in climate change, and many believe that in decree to control the weather for the better we should focus on naturally reversing our actions. This includes using less fossil fuels and conserve implant life .

Cloud seed and its origins

Silver iodide canisters can be carried through clouds by a airplane. ( image citation : Getty ) Cloud sow is a method used to make cloud rain. Using aircraft, drones or rockets, humble particles of silver or lead iodide are released into the flip. Because these particles have a exchangeable structure to ice, the body of water droplets in the cloud–which are excessively minor to fall as rain– surround the silver iodide, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica ( opens in fresh check ). As the water and eloquent iodide blend, ice crystals form. finally, the ice crystals become excessively heavy to remain in the air. As they fall, they melt to become raindrops. In 1974, during the Vietnam War, the U.S. army used cloud seeding to alter the weather. The bearing was to prolong the monsoon season in Vietnam, making fighting more unmanageable for the enemy. The plan was named Operation Popeye and meant that the U.S. troops were more prepare for the extensive showery season, according to documents posted on-line at the Office of the Historian ( opens in new tab key ). Operation Popeye used the rain as a weapon to destroy roads and flood rivers. To do this, military pilots flew over choose regions with canisters of eloquent or lead iodide. The canisters were ignited to release the particles into the cloud. When the events of Operation Popeye were publicized, a prohibition was put in rate by the european Modification Convention to prevent military tactics that controlled the weather. In 2008, China used its weather-modification course of study to control upwind forecasts for the Beijing Olympics, according to the BBC ( opens in new check ). The nation carried out cloud-seeding in the capital, to ensure that the rain fell before events like the open ceremony, preferably than during them .

Marine geoengineering

1. Cloud-whitening towers

The discolor of a obscure depends on its particle size and composition. Bright white clouds can be pleasing to the eye, but they besides hold another utilitarian property — they can reflect sunlight back into space, along with the heat energy it carries. This is the estimate behind cloud-whitening towers, which would aim to brighten clouds in holy order to reduce the warm of the planet, according to the BBC. The towers would be constructed on a fleet of autonomous boats, floating on the ocean airfoil. Water would then be pumped from the ocean and sprayed into the flip through these towers. This fine spray of seawater would reduce the average droplet size within the surrounding cloud. The minor droplets in the overcast spread light, making clouds appear white, and in turn these white clouds would reflect more sunlight away from Earth .

2. Iceberg builders

Around 13 percentage of Arctic frost is presently being lost per ten. ( image credit : Getty ) Melting Arctic internal-combustion engine is often associated with global warm. There are many indirect actions we can take to reduce warming weather patterns, but what if we could use machines to physically piece the Arctic back in concert ? A group of indonesian scientists, led by architect Faris Rajak Kotahatuhaha, have designed an iceberg-making submarine, as separate of the ASA Experimental Design Competition ( opens in new check ).

These vessels would first submerge themselves submerged so that their hexangular center becomes filled with water. Next the salt is filtered from this contained water system. This step is essential as removing salt from sea water raises its freeze point. The water is concealed, so that it is n’t warmed by sunlight, enabling it to naturally freeze. Around a month subsequently, the ice would eject from the vessel as a 16-foot ( five-meter ) wide, 82-foot ( 25 meter ) deep hexangular iceberg. This shape was chosen to increase the possibility of two internal-combustion engine blocks merging together .

3. Ocean fertilization

Ocean fertilization is a serve by which carbon paper dioxide from the atmosphere is transported to the penetrate of the ocean. While humans can initiate this process, ocean fertilization relies on the activity of phytoplankton, according to The Royal Society ( opens in fresh tab ). This proposed plan has been assessed in many experiments, but some scientists are concerned about the large-scale use of this method acting and its ability to importantly alter ocean ecosystems at different depths. first, boats are used to release big amounts of iron into the ocean. Because microscopic marine alga, called phytoplankton, need iron to produce food and grow, adding iron creates algal blooms. The Phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and publish oxygen. then, when phytoplankton finally dies, it sinks below the open and carries the absorb carbon paper with it. Carbon that is carried into the deep ocean can remain out of the atmosphere for over one hundred years .

4. artificial upwelling

This process involves transporting deep ocean water up towards shallower water, by pumping it through large artificial tube. As a resultant role of this action, cold and nutrient-rich water is dispersed near the coat, according to the Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology ( opens in fresh pill ). In some instances, upwelling has caused publicize temperatures to drop as the cold surface urine absorbs more heat from the standard atmosphere. While this would temporarily alter the weather, inquiry suggests that the upwelling system would have to remain on indefinitely. otherwise, the absorb heat would be released and create a converse, warming consequence .

Geoengineering in outer space

Multiple small mirror satellites could be gradually introduced to space. ( double credit rating : Alamy ) Geoengineering projects are all created to change Earth ‘s climate. But, they are not wholly designed to function on our planet. Space geoengineering involves taking a large step back from earth, in an undertake to make more meaning alterations. Entering into space means being closer to the sunday, and indeed much of the geoengineering engineering envisaged for Earth ‘s orbit involves manipulating the sunlight that illuminates our satellite. The first estimate for this form of space-based engineering came from engineer James Early in 1989. His concept involved building a giant glass sheet of 1,242 miles ( 2,000 kilometres ) in width, according to the british Interplanetary Society ( opens in new tab key ). When orbiting land, this methamphetamine structure would serve as a barrier between the sunlight and Earth, reflecting sunlight back into space and reducing the radiation that entered Earth ‘s standard atmosphere. This substantially sized, solid structure would be fabulously expensive to fly to quad and would likely need to be assembled in quad. In space assembly technology is something that is presently being experimented with, according to the taiwanese Journal of Aeronautics ( opens in modern tab key ). As we have no long-run human presence on another planetal body, some of today ‘s scientists have envisaged a more accomplishable array of smaller mirror satellites and areas of dense asteroid dust to serve as a solar barrier, according to Space.com ( opens in new tab key ). To block and deflect light away from Earth, equipment needs to remain in a control location. The most normally proposed sphere to deploy such a system is at the L1 Lagrange orient. This point, between the sun and land is where the gravity of the two objects is peer and limited energy is needed to keep a satellite in position, according to NASA ( opens in new tab ). With a localization planned and multiple ideas in process, why have these concepts not yet materialized into real-life systems ? presently, the one gene that could make quad geoengineering so successful is besides the one that could create the greatest failure — the plate. In contrast to choosing an view of the weather to change on Earth, which enables precise changes to be made, altering the weather from distance focuses on the integral planet. These large-scale adjustments ca n’t be properly tested until the mission is launched for real number. And cipher can know for sure how the satellite would respond to a sudden cool and reduction in light .

extra resources and reading

further proposed geoengineering technology can be found at the Oxford Geoengineering Programme ( opens in fresh pill ) web site. For more information about geoengineering in outer space, NASA has answered 5 common questions about hacking the planet ( opens in newfangled check ) .

bibliography

Scott, D. Geoengineering and Environmental Ethics. nature ( 2012 ). hypertext transfer protocol : //www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/geoengineering-and-environmental-ethics-80061230/ ( opens in new check ) Weather Modification in North Vietnam and Laos ( Project Popeye ) ( 1967 ). hypertext transfer protocol : //history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v28/d274 ( opens in new pill ) Oxford Geoengineering Programme, “ What is Geoengineering ” hypertext transfer protocol : //www.geoengineering.ox.ac.uk ( opens in new yellow journalism )

“ ocean fertilization : a potential means of geoengineering ? “, philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A ( 2008 ). hypertext transfer protocol : //royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsta.2008.0139 ( opens in new tab key ) “ A Sea Trial of Air-Lift Concept Artificial Upwelling in the East China Sea ”. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic engineering ( 2019 ). hypertext transfer protocol : //journals.ametsoc.org ( opens in new tab ) “ review of in-space assembly technologies ”. chinese Journal of Aeronautics ( 2021 ). hypertext transfer protocol : //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1000936120304854 ( opens in new pill )

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