Scientist publishes 'escape route' from global warming

[im10ashus]

A Nobel Prize-winning scientist has drawn up an emergency plan to save the world from global warming, by altering the chemical makeup of Earth's upper atmosphere. Professor Paul Crutzen, who won a Nobel Prize in 1995 for his work on the hole in the ozone layer, believes that political attempts to limit man-made greenhouse gases are so pitiful that a radical contingency plan is needed.

In a polemical scientific essay to be published in the August issue of the journal Climate Change, he says that an "escape route" is needed if global warming begins to run out of control.

Professor Crutzen has proposed a method of artificially cooling the global climate by releasing particles of sulphur in the upper atmosphere, which would reflect sunlight and heat back into space. The controversial proposal is being taken seriously by scientists because Professor Crutzen has a proven track record in atmospheric research.

A fleet of high-altitude balloons could be used to scatter the sulphur high overhead, or it could even be fired into the atmosphere using heavy artillery shells, said Professor Crutzen, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany.

cont'd...

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1205975.ece

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. ...Once again, do we get away with being irresponsible?

I hope that this is a real solution, but it seems to me the main thing this would accomplish would be to give huge corporations the right to pollute the earth and destroy our forests at an even faster pace.

[EstimatedProphet]

2. This is a tough one

That could make things even worse. However, it might also be the only chance to make things better too.

[Ezlivin]

3. Beware the unintended consequences of your actions

Let's say that Prof. Crutzen is absolutely right about the ability of sulfur particles to cool the earth.

What happens if the process cannot be halted? Will we plunge into a severe ice age?

The last thing we need to do is to act hastily.

[lapfog_1]

4. Wow... That sounds like the plot to a movie scrip...

Here, let me write a synopsis:

Admiral Nelson takes a brand new atomic submarine through its paces. When the Van Allen radiation belt catches fire, the admiral must find a way to beat the heat or watch the world go up in smoke.

The Seaview is an atomic submarine designed by Admiral Harriman Nelson. On it's initial launch some politicians are visiting it to see if all the money they poured into it is worth it. It is while they are at sea that they learn that the belt of radiation covering the Earth is on fire. Nelson is asked to attend some kind of international conference to determine what to do. It is while on route that Nelson comes up with a plan, which he presents at the conference. Nelson proposes that if an atomic missile launch from the Seaview at a precise moment will cause it to blow up but a scientist who claims that the belt will burn itself out when it reaches a certain temperature. But Nelson says that if they wait for his proposal, they will miss the window of opportunity that he told them of. Nelson leaves boards the Seaview and heads off to make his rendezvous with radiation belt. However, Nelson driven manner, causes friction between him and Captain Crane, whose relationship with is more paternal. And as they push on, some of the crew members don't want to follow the admiral, and if that wasn't enough, there appears to be saboteur on board.

[HereSince1628]

5. And the oceanographers argue fertilizing the ocean

particularly with iron...which will result in phytoplanton growth, CO2 uptake and deposition of carbon rich sediments on the ocean floor.

And NASA engineers want to put up a gigantic umbrella in space to block solar input.

Anyone besides me wondering if we really know enough to responsibly take on such manipulations?

[AngryAmish]

10. Since the dawn of time,

man has dreamt of blocking out the sun.

[LunaSea]

21. Giant space umbrellas

can be closed. I'd much rather try that that mucking around with the sea and sky.
We could reduce sunlight in tiny increments with filters in space.
If we must, lets try to be smart about it.

[longship]

6. Very scary program on why this works

See the PBS Nova episode entitled Dimming Sun, or the BBC Horizon episode entitled, Global Dimming.

If you have not see either of these programs--they are actually the same program--I highly recommend them. However, be warned that this new addition to climate science (global dimming) has consequences for global warming which may lead to new climate models which will likely be very, very grim. Ten years? Who says we even have that long? It may be too late now and because of the dimming, we might not be able to see it.

This is scary shit.
:scared: :scared:

But, as the OP states, global dimming might be a solution to keep things from running away, so in the big scary scenerio there might be some hope.

[autorank]

7. Please Rate this Up: Brilliant comment on where we're at.

He's right, the bozos who run things around here are fools on a fools errand.

The only global status leader to speak up clerly on this is AL GORE, all alone.

So why not think this way. We'll be begging for this in about 10 - 15 years.

Here's another proposal: Jeez, we're so screwed!

(from the same article)

Marine plankton absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which the microbes need for photosynthesis. The growth of plankton is limited by the relatively small amounts of iron in the sea. Scientists have conducted experiments on boosting plankton by throwing iron filings into the sea.

[kimmerspixelated]

8. Al Gore is THE MAN!

But the scenario where things start to go the other way, as the did in "The Day After Tomorrow", Major cool down!...how does global warming bring that on? I'm confused about that.

[EstimatedProphet]

13. One possible way

Europe is kept warm now by the gulf stream carring heat from the tropics. Rising temperatures at the poles cause melting of the ice pack, which dilutes the water in the gulf stream. The gulf stream, which at the poles is powered by the release of the heat brought from the tropics and the now-cooling water sinking, becomes less dense and doesn't sink. The gulf stream then simply shuts down. No warm water is then carried from the tropics, which causes Europe to freeze.

[autorank]

16. That's the fact as I read it. Sad isn't it...the Gulf Stream Stops!

If you look at England's latitude, it's equal to that of Labrador, Canada. Without the Gulf Stream warming the area, you get that climate in England. There are other problems with the Gulf Stream stopping as well including damage to fisheries, etc. but the big one is a very cold England, Ireland, etc.

When I think about this eco catastrophe scenario, which will come to pass, I always have just a moment when I recall the Colbert line at the Reporters Dinner with all the DC power structure assembled: "I have nothing but contempt for you." Of course, he was so right because those are the very worst leaders in the entire history of the world. This is happening and they can't even talk about it, won't even talk about it...I'll stop now..

On edit: :rofl: I'm Dead fan too! And, yes it is amazing...

[im10ashus]

22. It's frightening to contemplate.

And yet it's happening as we speak.

[Lochloosa]

15. Global warming and the resulting ice melt will stop the Global Ocean

Conveyor Belt. This will cause the transfer of warm ocean currents from reaching the northern areas of the globe.

Amazing how Dead Heads know this shit. Right EP!

Link for info: http://www.whoi.edu/institutes/occi/viewArticle.do?id=9986

[EstimatedProphet]

24. It's been my experience that Deadheads know their environmental stuff

:)

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. What happens when the sulfur gets reduced?

Hydrogen sulfide absorbs more infrared than CO2.

[EstimatedProphet]

14. Besides the fact that it combines with oxygen to create sulfuric acid

[karlrschneider]

11. Can't we just put up a lot of big umbrellas?

:silly:

Seriously, though, I'm not all that thrilled about the prospect of tossing out elemental Sulphur into the stratosphere...

[Recursion]

12. Brilliant!

Releasing chemicals into our atmosphere to tweak the climate! Nothing can go wrong with this plan!

:sarcasm:

[jberryhill]

17. Only one thing can save us now....

Release Mothra...

[Turn CO Blue]

18. Wouldn't the stench and the acid rain become an even bigger

problem than global warming? A whole planet that smells like rotten eggs?

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. So sad. People worked so hard to get the sulfur OUT of the air, and now

we may have to get it back. :cry:

[cynatnite]

19. Isn't there some kind of experimental pumping type of station...

I think this was on Tom Brokaw's special on global warming. There was a station of some kind built out onto the ocean. I'm trying to remember the specifics, but it sounded very promising. I think they collected what our atmosphere needs and may release it to counter the global warming we're experiencing.

Could someone help me out here?

[eridani]

20. I'm worried about unintended consequences.

What else might happen besides cooling?