User:Drewbie2/Budyko's Blanket

Budyko's Blanket is an idea proposing the release of sulfur dioxide (aerosol) into the atmosphere to combat global warming. Named after climate scientist Mikhail Budyko, the idea was first proposed by the book "SuperFreakonomics" in October 2009. The idea aims to cool global temperatures by creating a cloud of sulfur aerosol.

History

Interest in aerosol use in Geo-engineering originated after the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The explosive eruption led to tons of sulfur aerosols spewing into the atmosphere, causing temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere drop about 0.5-0.6°C, and 0.4°C globally. This large change in global temperatures stirred the interest of scientists looking for new Geoengineering solutions, however no ideas gained any traction. The idea was first formally proposed by University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt and New York Times journalist Steven J. Dubner in the book "Superfreakonomics". The idea was named in honor of Mikhail Budyko, whose models of the earth's heat balance established himself as a founder of modern climatology.

Overview

The main goal of the idea would be to lower global temperatures without causing climate and ozone damage. The idea proposes use of a narrow 30 kilometer hoses, each attached to power stations and lifted to the stratosphere by large helium balloons. Large of amounts of sulfur dioxide would then be released, with as much as 34 gallons released per minute. Overall, it is theorized that it would take 100,000 tons of sulfur dioxide per year to effectively cool all of the northern hemisphere. . If successful, the operation would undo much of the greenhouse gas effect on the atmosphere by significantly lowering global temperatures.

Effects

Once the sulfide aerosols are released, enough water vapor would be absorbed, creating a large whitish aerosol haze. This would create a global dimming effect, causing less of the sun's radiation to reach the earth's surface. The plan would reverse the greenhouse gas effect, blocking the passing of the sun's light.. Besides the likely cooling of global temperatures, aerosol release could lead to several side effects such as:

• Ozone depletion: The presence of aerosol could lead to the depletion of much of the ozone. While the aerosols reflect the sun's light, they also absorb heat, thereby warming the Troposphere. This warming effect, along with aerosols reaction with chlorine in the atmosphere possibly leads to ozone depletion.

• Uneven effects: Sulfur aerosols would reflect much more light during the day, possibly leading to unexpected climate changes.

• Damage to plant life: Many types of vegetation in contact with the aerosols could lose foliage and die prematurely, especially those in close vicinity of emissions.

• Drought: Climate changes resulting from aerosol release could lead to changes in rain patterns, leading to large scale drought in areas of Africa and India.

Controversy

Many scientists of the Geo-engineering and environmental science fields have conflicting views on the effectiveness and benefits of Budyko's Blanket. Some Geo-engineers praise the idea's technological feasibility and high speed of action, maintaining that "Budyko's Blanket" is a very cost efficient method of combating global warming. While the expenses of several other Geo-engineering possibilities extend to over a billion dollars, Budyko's blanket could possibly cool the earth at a price of 250 million dollars. Other critics have also written off the idea, arguing that ozone damage due to massive sulfur release outweighs its benefits. While the use of a long aerosol hose is accepted as valid, critics maintain that a uniform amount of aerosol would need to be released, making the idea much more complicated. Former Vice president and environmental activist Al Gore has notably been critical of the idea, opting rather for creation of nonpolluting energy sources.