one of the startling effects of the
solar eclipse was the instantaneous cool down under totality the temperature has really dropped by more than 10° unlike the momentary effects under the Moon Shadow a fleet of mirrors in space could create a sustained period of cooling by deflecting a small percentage of the sun's intensity large mirrors in in the point between the Sun and the Earth scientists say managing the sun's heat is gaining momentum as climate change gets worse if we are late on reducing our emissions what else is out there what else while cutting emissions and capturing and removing carbon are essential say scientists it's not enough so experts are ramping up efforts in solar geoengineering a number of Technologies in development that would allow us to reflect sunlight back out of the atmosphere before it reaches the ground mirrors in space to deflect the sun's heat is one idea landbased reflectors is another and then there is geoengineering in the atmosphere such as injecting sulfur based particles high in the stratosphere to reflect sunlight or thinning high cirrus clouds that would allow trapped heat to escape or brightening low Marine clouds to make them thicker and better at reflecting heat the University of Washington is trying to brighten clouds by spraying Solutions of water and salt from the deck of an old aircraft carrier into the atmosphere it's really important um how it plays out in the climate system will depend on where you could brighten clouds and how much with high cirrus clouds which trap more heat than they reflect the aim is the opposite part two on solar geoengineering a closer look at stratospheric aerosol injection Eric Toronto that gas will reach the Earth Stratosphere in one of the most powerful eruptions in modern history Mount Pinatubo discharged 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide that circled the planet and reflected sunlight dropping global temperatures half a degree celsus in the early 199 90s it was a revelation for future climate scientists everybody knows that sulfur Works a very small amount of aerosols can have a large effect humans have caused the same effect from The sulfur emissions of ocean vessels that create Cloud tracks across the sky reflecting the sun imagine now deliberate stratospheric aerosol injection planes or balloons dispersing sulfur to screen out some solar radiation now most of the sun's heat would still reach the Earth but a tiny bit would be reflected high in the stratosphere cooling the planet it would work best over the polar regions where the effects of warming are the greatest and it is controversial it breaks a taboo against messing with nature wake Smith has written Pandora's toolbox the hopes and Hazards of climate intervention we certainly need to explore the costs and benefits of it to enable future generations to make an informed choice in that regard one startup has met resistance just sending up balloons with sulfur dioxide us atmospheric authorities have done only Limited Test flights and scopex a Harvard University atmospheric program was blocked in Sweden by indigenous and environmental opponents the program was shut down last month it's very difficult to get a lot of research on geoengineering done this expert says to stop melting arctic ice and rising sea levels this science should at least be tested but which countries get to decide to change the atmosphere and once it starts could you ever stop injecting aerosols that's how complex this type of planetary climate intervention technology is it's not just a science experiment if this works this could remake the face of the planet and yet what if the climate is that much worse decades from now it's not at all clear to me that future people will reject engineered climate relative to Runaway climate change an engineered climate is science fiction today but will it Eric senson Global News Toronto
