[ed. note: I wish I could take credit for this great pun, but it is from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.]
Marine Cloud Brightening is a geoengineering technique that may play a big role in addressing climate change.
The concept is simple: spray a salt water mist into the air, let the mist drift up and form cloud droplets, and the droplets reflect sunlight into space (albedo).
Current modeling research indicates that marine cloud brightening could substantially cool the planet….
The climatic impacts of marine cloud brightening would be rapidly responsive and reversible. If the brightening activity were to change in intensity, or stop altogether, then the clouds’ brightness would respond within a few days to weeks, as the cloud condensation nuclei particles precipitate naturally.– Wikipedia
From Ships
In fact, marine cloud brightening on a small scale already occurs unintentionally due to the aerosols in ships’ exhaust, leaving ship tracks. – Wikipedia
University of Wisconsin-Madison
How it works
Clouds are formed from water vapor condensing around tiny particles of dust, clay, soot, or even phytoplankton or sulfur dioxide. Or salt!
This requires technology that can generate optimally-sized (~100 nm) sea-salt particles and deliver them at sufficient force and scale to penetrate low-lying marine clouds. The resulting spray mist must then be delivered continuously into target clouds over the ocean. – Wikipedia
Cloud Condensation Nuclei
Interesting typical dimensions:
- raindrop: 2mm
- cloud droplet: 0.02mm (or about the size of 2 2/3 red blood cells [0.0075mm])
- condensation nuclei: 0.0001mm, or 0.1µm (teeny tiny – for reference, a dust mite is about 420 µm long)
Interesting proof-of-concept video from Southern Cross University:
Australia and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Australia is pioneering much of the cloud brightening research in an effort to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation has an informative article about cloud brightening.
Semi-Sequitur: Curve Balls and Corner Kicks
The discussion of cloud brightening led to a proposal: “John Latham and Stephen Salter proposed a fleet of around 1500 unmanned Rotor ships”.- Wikipedia
A rotor ship is a type of ship designed to use the Magnus effect for propulsion. – Wikipedia
Magnus effect: simply plug in the numbers….
The Magnus effect leads to curve balls, sinkers, and some very cool corner kick goals.
Today’s song is from Canadian musician Abigail Lapell