Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Rhiannon12866

(203,036 posts)
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 01:12 AM Apr 2017

Harvard Researchers Are Preparing to Geoengineer the Atmosphere

In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists will disperse aerosols into the stratosphere in initial tests of a controversial technique for blocking incoming solar radiation.

A team of Harvard researchers is preparing a first-of-its-kind field experiment in the hotly-debated area of solar geoengineering, the controversial idea to combat climate change by pumping aerosols into the sky to reflect the sun’s rays back into space.

The study will be the first to actually shoot tiny amounts of material into the stratosphere to study solar geoengineering — although researchers caution they will start with water vapor and won’t exceed volumes over 1 kilogram of any substance.

Yet the concept of intentionally modifying the earth’s atmosphere as a corrective for global warming is highly contentious, even among those who believe it could one day be used responsibly.

“The idea that you could even think about adjusting the temperature of the planet is terrifying,” said Frank Keutsch, one of the Harvard scientists leading the study. “But the consequences of climate change are also quite terrifying. This is a very serious subject.”


More: https://www.seeker.com/earth/climate/harvard-researchers-are-preparing-to-geoengineer-the-atmosphere
12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Phoenix61

(16,954 posts)
4. NOVA had an amazing show that talked about this
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 07:23 AM
Apr 2017

Dimming the Sun. It included research on air temperature in the three days following 911 when all planes were grounded. You can buy the DVD but the transcript is free on their web site. I'd post a link but I'm on my phone and not sure how to do that.

GreenGreenLimaBean

(402 posts)
5. about time
Wed Apr 12, 2017, 02:04 PM
Apr 2017

We are already GEOENGINEERING the planet, so why not keep the ice caps from melting while we get rid of fossil fuels? Whoever thinks this is a bad idea is just plain wrong, or possibly wanting the ice caps to melt in order to allow drilling in the arctic....

GreenGreenLimaBean

(402 posts)
8. yes we do, we are melting the planet
Fri Apr 14, 2017, 01:51 PM
Apr 2017

and the paris accord is a bandaid....there is no time to waste. Let me repeat, we are already GEOENGINEERING THE PLANET with GHG's. Wind/Solar will do the job eventually, but not fast enough to stop the ice caps from melting. And yes, oceans are acidifying, and that problem needs to be solved as well, but this thinking that we should continue slowing weaning ourselves off fossil fuels, and GEO-Engineering cannot be considered is plain wrong on it's merits. Sometimes I think some would rather see the planet melt/flood just to say "I told you so".....

NickB79

(19,114 posts)
9. It's like mixing alcohol and caffeine, thinking one will offset the other
Fri Apr 14, 2017, 02:50 PM
Apr 2017

Sounds good in theory, right? Only it may end up killing you instead.

hatrack

(59,442 posts)
10. Yes, the part that never gets mentioned when sulfate injection is discussed . . .
Fri Apr 14, 2017, 04:08 PM
Apr 2017

And considering the percentage of the planet's oxygen that comes from phytoplankton (70%), "short-sighted" doesn't even start to capture the stupidity entrained therein.

JudyM

(29,122 posts)
12. There are probably countless & unquantifiably complex ecosystem variables that would interplay and
Mon Apr 17, 2017, 10:41 PM
Apr 2017

be impacted. Kind of a bad risk to later say "oops" about.

caraher

(6,276 posts)
11. This only makes things worse
Fri Apr 14, 2017, 11:06 PM
Apr 2017

In addition to the aforementioned fact that the real problem should be named "carbon pollution" (ocean acidification being yet another manifestation), there's the further problem is that the worst prospect for geoengineering comes if it works.

The reason "working" would be a disaster is that once you start an intervention, you have to keep it up. Because as soon as you stop, if you haven't reduced the greenhouse gas levels, you've actually increased the gap between the new "set point" for temperature and what it is before it has equilibrated. The result is that the rate of warming is greater than it would have been had you done nothing, and this makes adaptation that much harder (less time to adapt) and increases the likely extinction rate.

And if you imagine that governments would recognize this possibly disastrous outcome and take every conceivable measure to ensure the interventions continue, once begun, no matter what, just take a look at what is happening right now in the US. Had Obama launched a "successful" geoengineering program, it would have been immediately scuttled by Trump.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»Harvard Researchers Are P...