Planetary Engineering for Climate Change
While Looking toward the horizon for solutions to our global climate problems science has offered nothing less than a plethora of theories, essays, and computer simulations about what to expect in the future and how to avert a catastrophe. One of the most interesting, yet polarizing, topics is Geoengineering. When I first read of the proposal for a Space Sunshade, a giant collection of reflective surfaces in orbit, images of a new arch nemesis from a Bond movie immediately jumped into my mind. As fantastic as such a concept sounds, that represents one of many Geoengineering solutions that have arisen out of science in the past ten years.
The Space Sunshade is a proposal put forth by Roger Angel, Director of Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory at The University of Arizona, which is a collection of small “flyers” that cluster themselves in geo synchronous orbit at specific locations above the earth.
The Sunshade uses existing technologies and at best is a concept that can exist only on paper. It is estimated to cost four trillion dollars and take thirty years to fully implement.
Yet another climate mitigating solution is the Artificial Tree proposed by Klaus Lackner. In essence, this device or series of devices would suck the CO2 out of the atmosphere and convert it into O2. The question remains however, what energy source is required to power these devices. That aside actively converting excess CO2 into O2 is a reasonable solution during a time when deforestation still remains a significant problem in the developing world.
Another promising climate change solution proposed by John Latham, of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, is cloud seeding. Though this concept is not new, the specific form of implementation is what makes it remarkable. Imagine, at sea, a fleet of roving towers which project atomized sea water up into the atmosphere. The idea behind cloud seeding is the manner in which denser clouds shield the Earth from more solar radiation; this is the reason rain clouds are dark. By projecting atomized salt water in the air, the clouds would get more dense in that location and thus shield more sunlight. The fleet of seeding ships are able to float from place to place around the earth to target locations where a more dense cloud cover has the greatest affect on reducing solar radiation levels and global temperatures. The beauty of the system is that it is self sustainable and can be operated remotely. The ships propel themselves by means of a Flettner Rotor, which is spinning vertical cylinder which rotate as winds push across its surface. This in turn can generate movement for the propeller and power the machinery which is needed to produce the Faraday Waves that are needed to atomize the sea water.
The source of controversy for all of these global-scale interventions is that we have no way to predict all of the variables that can cascade from such an intervention. One such proposal that has an undesirable outcome is called Stratosphere Sulfur-Spraying which is to pump large amounts of sulfate into the atmosphere. Sulfates are found in the ejected matter that blows out of erupting volcanoes and these particles contribute to the cooling of the atmosphere as they reflect solar radiation back into space. The one caveat that kills this proposal is that sulfate destroys ozone. Proposed by Paul Crutzen, a Dutch Nobel Prize Winner and Atmospheric Chemist, he acknowledges the risks to the exaggeration of the Antarctic ozone hole ,but stresses that in a time of dire need it may be necessary to delay the closure of the ozone hole 30-70 years in an effort to lower global temperatures, which carry with them their own set of demons.
The flip-side to all of these solutions is the political power structure which may fund a chosen technology. Whichever nation or assortment of political bodies decides to implement a Geoengineering campaign will have the power to affect all aspects of human life in all locations. Quite a humbling notion when you consider the potential for these technologies to be used malevolently or to benefit the fortunate few. This is why, now more than ever it is crucial for everyone to follow these technologies as they develop, no matter how fantastic they may appear to be, because when the time comes that your government wants to use one it will be with your knowledge that you can have influence on a global scale.
The Space Sunshade is a proposal put forth by Roger Angel, Director of Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory at The University of Arizona, which is a collection of small “flyers” that cluster themselves in geo synchronous orbit at specific locations above the earth.
“The lightweight flyers designed by Angel would be made of a transparent film pierced with small holes. Each flyer would be two feet in diameter, 1/5000 of an inch thick and weigh about a gram, the same as a large butterfly. It would use “MEMS” technology mirrors as tiny sails that tilt to hold the flyers position in the orbiting constellation. The flyer’s transparency and steering mechanism prevent it from being blown away by radiation pressure. Radiation pressure is the pressure from the sun’s light itself.”
The Sunshade uses existing technologies and at best is a concept that can exist only on paper. It is estimated to cost four trillion dollars and take thirty years to fully implement.
Yet another climate mitigating solution is the Artificial Tree proposed by Klaus Lackner. In essence, this device or series of devices would suck the CO2 out of the atmosphere and convert it into O2. The question remains however, what energy source is required to power these devices. That aside actively converting excess CO2 into O2 is a reasonable solution during a time when deforestation still remains a significant problem in the developing world.
Another promising climate change solution proposed by John Latham, of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, is cloud seeding. Though this concept is not new, the specific form of implementation is what makes it remarkable. Imagine, at sea, a fleet of roving towers which project atomized sea water up into the atmosphere. The idea behind cloud seeding is the manner in which denser clouds shield the Earth from more solar radiation; this is the reason rain clouds are dark. By projecting atomized salt water in the air, the clouds would get more dense in that location and thus shield more sunlight. The fleet of seeding ships are able to float from place to place around the earth to target locations where a more dense cloud cover has the greatest affect on reducing solar radiation levels and global temperatures. The beauty of the system is that it is self sustainable and can be operated remotely. The ships propel themselves by means of a Flettner Rotor, which is spinning vertical cylinder which rotate as winds push across its surface. This in turn can generate movement for the propeller and power the machinery which is needed to produce the Faraday Waves that are needed to atomize the sea water.
The source of controversy for all of these global-scale interventions is that we have no way to predict all of the variables that can cascade from such an intervention. One such proposal that has an undesirable outcome is called Stratosphere Sulfur-Spraying which is to pump large amounts of sulfate into the atmosphere. Sulfates are found in the ejected matter that blows out of erupting volcanoes and these particles contribute to the cooling of the atmosphere as they reflect solar radiation back into space. The one caveat that kills this proposal is that sulfate destroys ozone. Proposed by Paul Crutzen, a Dutch Nobel Prize Winner and Atmospheric Chemist, he acknowledges the risks to the exaggeration of the Antarctic ozone hole ,but stresses that in a time of dire need it may be necessary to delay the closure of the ozone hole 30-70 years in an effort to lower global temperatures, which carry with them their own set of demons.
The flip-side to all of these solutions is the political power structure which may fund a chosen technology. Whichever nation or assortment of political bodies decides to implement a Geoengineering campaign will have the power to affect all aspects of human life in all locations. Quite a humbling notion when you consider the potential for these technologies to be used malevolently or to benefit the fortunate few. This is why, now more than ever it is crucial for everyone to follow these technologies as they develop, no matter how fantastic they may appear to be, because when the time comes that your government wants to use one it will be with your knowledge that you can have influence on a global scale.