This is an example of how a bunch of really quite intelligent people, i.e., the people on this list, can launch off into something with potentially disastrous results. What if the people on this list had actual political power? What if they could implement this project on a global scale, all with the best of intentions. But so far, I have noticed that this idea is based on an erroneous assumption.
That assumption is that aluminum nanoparticles would be reflective. Quite the opposite is true. Finely divided metal particles are almost universally black. They are also usually pyrophoric. For example, the black in black and white photographs is finely divided silver. If you want to do something like this, it would be much better to use a finely divided metal oxide which will remain white when finely divided. M. ========================================================== --- On Sat 02/05, Horace Heffner < [EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: From: Horace Heffner [mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2005 11:47:49 -0900 Subject: Re: A last resort attack on global warming Glad to see some good ideas flowing on vortex on this thread.<br><br>A good means of dispersal might be the use of a laser or plasma torch to<br>disperse in atomic form. This atomic form might achieve a much better<br>initial coverage than nanoparticles, but would probably eventually<br>aggregate into nanoparticles in space. This would also have the advantage<br>that the payload could be carried in the more dense solid form.<br><br>A good light and clean dispersant might be CaO. However, there is a fairly<br>handy source of dispersant mass right in our sky ... the moon. We know<br>that pieces of the moon and similar bodies enter our atmosphere<br>continuously in the form of meteors, so lunar soil should not be too bad a<br>dipersant.<br><br>One idea that might be devloped is the use of a nuclear power plant that<br>can use lunar soil as a reaction mass. If it is feasible for such a rocket<br>to escape from the moon carrying a decent payload, then single ships could<br>m! ake numerous journeys without refueling. The best scheme might involve<br>low payload ferries that move mass from the moon to lunar orbit, and a<br>second class of ship that brings the mass to earth orbit.<br><br>Railguns are useful for getting things to a high altitude, but not for<br>getting to orbital speed, to a high tangential velocity, which requires a<br>rocket to go along with the payload. Might be worked out, and a lot of<br>work has been done on this concept, especially for Mars to orbit lifting.<br>Railguns might be an ideal way to get payloads off the moon becuase they<br>can be fired at a nearly tangential angle and the projectile has no air<br>resistance. The projectile would still have to have some thrust capability<br>in order to adjust to an orbit that would no impact the moon on the orbit<br>return, but it could be nominal.<br><br>Regards,<br><br>Horace Heffner <br><br><br> _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!
