Climate engineering

[steingar]

A 20 meter long helium balloon has been launched from an abandoned airstrip in Britain. The idea is to release particulates high in the atmosphere, in a manner similar to a volcanic eruption.

Tackling climate change with atmospheric particles, or aerosols, is a method inspired by large volcanic eruptions, like the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.

The eruption ejected at least five cubic kilometres of ash and gas, which rapidly spread around the globe and, in the two years following the eruption, decreased the average global temperature by 0.5 degree Celsius.

This was because the aerosols released by the volcano reflected back the Sun's radiation and heat before it reached the atmosphere, keeping the planet cooler.

This is rather cool, since ld science fiction readers like me would call this by another name, terraforming.

Story on the BBC.

 

[Bob Noel]

This is rather cool, since ld science fiction readers like me would call this by another name, terraforming.

(no pun intended, right?)

And in fact, it's the correct use of the term as I understand it unlike when people use it for environmentally changing other worlds.

But I have a dollar that says someone will sue these guys because this ash/whatever caused some local calamity somewhere.

 

[Geico266]

While it is interesting, when will we ever learn to leave mother nature alone. At least they are looking at the sun as the source for global warming.

I agree, 20 years from now it will be learned what they released is hurting something else.

 

[mantakos]

... At least they are looking at the sun as the source for global warming. ...

If you put on a sweater, and you feel warmer, it's not because the thermostat is set higher, but turning down the thermostat might be an effective way to counter the effects of the sweater.
-harry