All:
Preparing for the Asilomar conference, I summed up major points
favoring doing aerosol cooling of the Arctic.
Can others suggest further points? Feel free to dispute their
importance, too.
Gregory Benford
STEPS TOWARD SAVING OUR ARCTIC
GREGORY BENFORD
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of California, Irvine
This paper proposes experiments to halt Arctic warming. The
advantages of first attacking climate change in the Arctic by
reflecting sunlight are several:
1. The Arctic is the most endangered region, warming faster than other
areas.
2. The Arctic stratosphere is the lowest, beginning at about 38,000
feet (11.5 km). This places it within range of the most suitable
aircraft for spreading aerosols, the in-flight refuelers. The tropical
stratosphere is largely beyond range of these aircraft, so experiments
there will demand fighter-class aircraft. The US has a large lead in
such technologies, and economies of scale.
3. The Arctic Council forms a natural group for managing such
experiments. The US has many allies on the Council, and Russian
objections can be met there. Eventual cooling targets that allow
northwest passage in the summer can be negotiated as well, away from
larger international bodies.
4. Experiments can proceed from US territory. We have the best space
technologies for diagnostics in the region. No treaties now govern the
stratosphere.
5. Arctic experiments done in summer will have minimal effects on lower
latitudes, despite some diffusion and convection of aerosols. Rainfall
effects in monsoons, etc, will be minimal. Costs of Arctic experiments
(~$300 million) are far lower than tropical experiments (~$ several
billion).
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"geoengineering" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en.
