http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2014GL061886/abstract
Counteracting the climate effects of volcanic eruptions using short-lived greenhouse gases Jan S. Fuglestvedt1, Bjørn H. Samset1,*and Keith P. Shine doi: 10.1002/2014GL061886 Keywords: volcanic eruptions;short-lived greenhouse gases Abstract A large volcanic eruption might constitute a climate emergency, significantly altering global temperature and precipitation for several years. Major future eruptions will occur, but their size or timing cannot be predicted. We show, for the first time, that it may be possible to counteract these climate effects through deliberate emissions of short-lived greenhouse gases, dampening the abrupt impact of an eruption. We estimate an emission pathway countering a hypothetical eruption three times the size of Mt Pinatubo in 1991. We use a global climate model to evaluate global and regional responses to the eruption, with and without counter emissions. We then raise practical, financial and ethical question related to such a strategy. Unlike the more commonly-discussed geoengineering to mitigate warming from long-lived greenhouse gases, designed emissions to counter temporary cooling would not have the disadvantage of needing to be sustained over long periods. Nevertheless, implementation would still face significant challenges. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
