solar angel

solar angel

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Geoengineering refers to the large-scale intervention into factors affecting the environment of planet earth. Ideas that fall into the category of geoengineering include some pretty radical concepts.

For example, one suggestion termed "ocean fertilization" projects that by sufficiently nourishing the growth of ocean plankton with nutrients like iron, carbon dioxide will be absorbed in much greater quantities and more oxygen will be released into the atmosphere. The net effect would be to slow, or even reverse the current trend of global warming. The founder of the ocean fertilization concept, John Martin, is quoted as saying with Archimedes-like hyperbole, "Give me a tanker of iron, and I'll give you an Ice Age."

Creating man-made volcanos has been suggested as another geoengineering idea to consider. Massive volcanic eruptions would spew a large amount of particles and gases into the air. As they disperse into the atmosphere shielding the earth from some of the sun's rays. The particles would presumably reflect or block enough sunlight to more than compensate for all the methane and carbon dioxide, which would tend to have a warming effect on our climate. This idea may sound a bit far-fetched, but the venerable British Royal Society, a scientific organization once led by Sir Isaac Newton, is actually supporting research into this concept.

Yet another geoengineering idea was put forth by Roger Angel, an astronomy and optics professor at the University of Arizona. He suggests filling the upper atmosphere with Frisbee-sized ceramic disks that would block the sun or reflect its rays. According to Angel, we would only need 20 giant guns shooting 800,000 disks every five minutes nonstop for 10 years to reverse global warming.

Your initial reaction to such concepts may similar to mine: that it is silly to even consider such actions as being worthwhile or even possible. And the cost of some of these measures would be ridiculously high. But serious scientists are backing some of these ideas to carry out geoengineering on a massive scale.

Fortunately, there is a great deal of reticence on the part of most world leaders to charge into such drastic measures, especially when the consequences-both in the short-term and the long-term-are unknown. In 2010 more than 190 countries have agreed under a treaty sponsored by the United Nations to ban geoengineering as a part of actions to combat climate change. The treaty provides that "no climate-related geoengineering activities that may affect biodiversity take place, until there is an adequate scientific basis on which to judge such activities and appropriate consideration of the associated risks for the environment and biodiversity and associated social, economic, and cultural impacts" has been determined.

Even in politics there is still some sanity.

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Solar Angel?