Space mirrors to halt global warming!

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Space mirrors to halt global warming!

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Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91ï¿½ N

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 10:57 am Post subject: Space mirrors to halt global warming!
This is either very frightening or indicates that the US at least recognises that global warming exists.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28115
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 11:19 am Post subject:
There was a man who swallowed a fly...

monkey1973

Joined: 17 Jan 2005
Posts: 683
Location: Bonnie scotland

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 11:23 am Post subject:
Yes. Lets stop the suns rays hitting the earth. Coz nothing needs the sun does it?

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 11:49 am Post subject:

Its a very gentle bit of "terra-forming".

It has long (well for some years anyway) been known that one of the reasons that global warming hasn't progressed as much as simple CO2 effects predicted is because of 'particulate pollution'. The tiny bits of dust reflect away some of the incoming solar energy - so that its a bit like putting shading on the greenhouse.

There has previously been an emphasis on reducing particulate emission (especially in the lower atmosphere).

It would be well worth studying the feasability of deliberately increasing the higher atmosphere particulate pollution as a controllable counter to greenhouse gas warming.
I believe there was some sort of study into the immediate effects of the US ban on commercial flying in the days after 9/11. There was a suggestion that measurable warming occurred in days as a result of particulate reduction.
Kinda surprised no one has already investigated the possibility of deliberately increasing that effect.

Easily predictable side-benefit: Amazing sunsets like the ones Turner painted in the aftermath of Krakatoa.

Well worth a study, IMHO.

Jb

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 7761
Location: 91ï¿½ N

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 12:04 pm Post subject:

dougal wrote:

Its a very gentle bit of "terra-forming".

I don't think I'd ever expected to see terraforming described as "gentle".

Shane

Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 3467
Location: Doha. Is hot.

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 12:35 pm Post subject:
There will, of course, be a trade off between the amount heat these things prevent from reaching the earth compared to the vast amount of CO2 that will generated putting them up there. Wouldn't want to be the one to work out what the "pay back" time would be!

AnneandMike

Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 890
Location: Over the hill and soon to be far away

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 7:42 pm Post subject:

It is pretty clear to me that

1. The Earth's climate is beyond our current full understanding with endless positive and negative feedback loops many of which we don't even know about so that 'predicting' future climate, even with advanced GCMs is basically just intelligent guesswork, although the trend to higher temperatures is firmly identified.

2. We didn't need to control the climate before we screwed it up so, rather than space mirrors (another Toxic Texan technological fix) what we need to do is stop screwing!!

Milo

Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: Oop North-ish.

Posted: Sat Jan 27, 07 10:23 pm Post subject:

AnneandMike wrote:

....... what we need to do is stop screwing!!

I can't help but think that you'd be screwed if you tried to introduce such a ban.

AnneandMike

Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 890
Location: Over the hill and soon to be far away

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 07 3:19 pm Post subject:

Milo wrote:

AnneandMike wrote:

....... what we need to do is stop screwing!!

I can't help but think that you'd be screwed if you tried to introduce such a ban.

It might solve the population problem we've been discussing on another thread

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Jan 28, 07 3:59 pm Post subject:
Does indeed seem worthy of research. I wouldn't trust the Americans to do it though.

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