A large helium balloon attached to a length of 1 km of the hose to be launched next month to help explore the feasibility of environmental engineering.
A method of pumping particles into the stratosphere to mimic the short-term cooling effects of volcanic eruptions.
The ball test next month to investigate the technical problems involved in this project.
The delegates discussed the project at the Science Festival in Bradford.
Researchers from universities across the country, and Marshall Aerospace are working together on the project SPICE (injection of particles HVAC stratosphere), which will research this particular type of geo-engineering.
They study the best type of particles that can be put into the atmosphere, the best way to deliver it, and the potential impact of this is the Earth's climate.
Starts next month will be the first of its kind in Britain, and lifting the ball to a height of 1 km, will test the largest-scale project, in which the particles are released at a height of 20 km.
Launched in October
Combat climate change with atmospheric particles, or aerosols, is a method inspired by the great volcanic eruptions, as the eruption of Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991.
The eruption ejected at least five cubic kilometers of ash and gas that quickly spread across the globe, and within two years after the eruption, average global temperature dropped by 0.5 degrees Celsius.
This was due to aerosols released by the volcano is reflected solar radiation and heat, before it reached the atmosphere, keeping the planet cooler.
A world of geo-engineering project would look artificially reflective particles released into the atmosphere to create the cooling effect.
The project received £ 1.6 million Spice to explore all aspects of such a technique, and their tests next month field is the first of several planned launches to observe directly the mechanism of high altitude delivery of reflective particles.
The ball 20 meters in length will be released from an abandoned airfield in northern Sculthorpe Norfolk in October when weather conditions are favorable.
And 'linked to 800m hosepipe reinforced soil that stretches long to get a balloon at an altitude of 1 km.
A wash house pressure will be strong enough to pump water from the ground to the top of the garden hose and spray at a rate of about 100 liters per hour.
This structure, the researchers hope to observe how the ball and the tube reacts to strong winds, and the launch of its practical application, and much more.
Above all, they will gather information that can be strengthened to the model 20 km altitude, which would be needed to push the particles in the upper layers of the atmosphere, and predict the reactions of the ball in such a configuration scenario.
Dr. Matt Watson of the University of Bristol, said they are "decades" to launch a balloon functional 20 km. He said that since the evidence shows that this type of geo-engineering is possible, "just because we do not mean that we are entitled."
"To increase the public debate"
The method of aerosol injection is just one of many possible geo-engineering techniques have been proposed as a way to counter global warming.
But the point SPICE team that intervention does not change the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, is sufficient to reduce global warming caused by emissions of greenhouse gases.
They predict that 10 or 20 giant balloons at an altitude of 20 kilometers could release enough particles in the atmosphere to reduce global temperatures by around 2 degrees.
This temperature drop would not be uniform throughout the world, the equatorial regions would see a sharp drop in temperature, while the poles are relatively spared.
The reasons for this regional variation is not yet fully understood, and the difficulties in predicting the climate response to geoengineering has been a concern for some.
Public forums conducted by the University of Cardiff and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) reported that very few people were unconditionally positive about the concept of the Earth artificial weather engineering.
The SPICE project, in particular, led to the ETC group climate of pressure to write an open letter to the British government, asking them to stop this last test in the field.
"There has been no decision to proceed with the" solar radiation management and therefore no need to test the equipment designed to implement. "Said Pat Mooney, Executive Director of ETC Group.
Dr. Matt Watson said, however, that "the belief that research is not a defense," and it is expected that research conducted within the SPICE project three years "to force the uncertainty surrounding the methods and stimulate public debate. "
0 comments:
Post a Comment