How would you compare the costs to terraform the Sahara vs. increasingly potent Atlantic hurricanes?

[mahina]

https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/what-does-sahara-desert-have-do-hurricanes.html
How a Tropical Storm Starts A-Brewin'

"The role the Sahara Desert plays in hurricane development is related to the easterly winds (coming from the east) generated from the differences between the hot, dry desert in north Africa and the cooler, wetter, and forested coastal environment directly south and surrounding the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa. The result is a strong area of high altitude winds commonly called the African Easterly Jet. If these winds were constant, we would also experience fewer hurricanes.

However, the African Easterly Jet is unstable, resulting in undulations in a north-south direction, often forming a corresponding north to south trough, or wave, that moves westward off the West African Coast. When these waves of air have enough moisture, lift, and instability, they readily form clusters of thunderstorms, sometimes becoming correlated with a center of air circulation. When this happens, a tropical cyclone may form as the areas of disturbed weather move westward across the Atlantic.

Throughout most of the year, these waves typically form every two to three days in a region near Cape Verde (due west of Africa), but it is the summer to early fall when conditions can become favorable for tropical cyclone development.

Not all hurricanes that form in the Atlantic originate near Cape Verde, but this has been the case for most of the major hurricanes that have impacted the continental United States."

Just wondering if there isn't a way to do in the Sahara what has been done in deserts elsewhere, swales and moisture farming. If so, how would you think about comparative costs?

[procon]

1. It still wouldn't address the larger problem of global warming conditions that power

those massive storms. Even if it were feasible to terraform a huge desert area, the oceans are still getting warmer and land temperatures are rising. The polar ice is melting, affecting ocean currents and winds. Greenhouse gases, deforestation, air pollution, all factor into the equation. It sounds great, but the problem is just too enormously intertwined and complex to expect any one, single project might have any significant effect on Atlantic hurricanes.

[mahina]

2. I think I have a basic grasp of the scale and complexity of the many problems,

only around the edges, but better than some.

Thinking about how we build resilience for the future, one way could include greening places that aren't green now.

On Kaho'olawe we were able with swales and moisture capture to get things growing where nobody thought it could happen, especially since our water table on the island was broken by bombs.

Completely different topic but I was glad to read that some of the Great Barrier Reef is showing signs of resiliency, even areas that were bleached last year.

I'm not interested in happy talk or trying not to be broken hearted. I understand that we are almost certainly facing the extinction of large sea mammals, whom I grieve far more than the human race, Akua forgive me.

Just trying to think about ways to bring the eventual return of a livable planet a little sooner, and reduce suffering, if it's possible.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. There's a lot of difference between a small island, where the air will be humid

even if the rainfall is low, and a huge desert with its centre hundreds of miles from the ocean, which has low humidity. You can't just say "capture the moisture" if it isn't there.

[mahina]

5. No doubt there are immense differences.

[mahina]

6. I wonder what can be done to affect the increase in intensity of storms originating from

the difference in climates there.

Maybe solar panel arrays that would power Africa and also reduce heat?

I didn't know that Atlantic storms originated from this area, or why. I found the article interesting as understanding this gives us a chance to change the future, at least somewhat.

Otherwise as I understand it, storms will only get worse.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. The Sahara Desert is some three and a half MILLION square miles.

That's a lot of acreage.

I can't begin to imagine how you'd go about doing it, nor how long it would take, but whatever resources (water, for instance) you divert for the terraforming are now not going to be available where they originally would have gone.

Another issue is that the land itself is barren for a reason. Just not the kind of composition you need to grow much of anything.

However, thinking seriously about this might open up thinking about terraforming Mars.