It is pointed out that the global warming countermeasure of 'scattering particles in the atmosphere to cool the earth' is difficult and involves risks
Humanity has devised various countermeasures to stop the progression of global warming. One such method, called '
Engineering and logistical concerns add practical limitations to stratospheric aerosol injection strategies | Scientific Reports
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-20447-2
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Stratospheric aerosol injection is a method of cooling the Earth by scattering tiny particles with solar-reflecting properties into the stratosphere. This method is inspired by the natural phenomenon in which sulfur dioxide released into the atmosphere by volcanic eruptions is converted into sulfate aerosols in the stratosphere, which reflect some of the sunlight.
In fact, the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines was confirmed to have caused the average global temperature to drop by 0.6 degrees Celsius for about 15 months. In addition, volcanic eruptions also release greenhouse gases, which may cause global warming in the long term.
In recent years, an increasing number of researchers have seriously considered stratospheric aerosol injection as a way to combat global warming, but some experts remain skeptical, citing concerns that particles released into the stratosphere could disrupt weather patterns and pose health risks due to air pollution.
Climate scientists say it's time to seriously discuss the terrifying plan to intentionally spray 'pollutants' into the sky to force-cool the Earth - GIGAZINE
'No matter how sophisticated the simulations of stratospheric aerosol injections in climate models are, they are necessarily idealized,' says V. Faye McNeil, an atmospheric chemist at Columbia University. 'Researchers model perfect particles of the perfect size, and then in their simulations they place them in exactly the amounts and locations they need. But when you start to consider where we realistically stand compared to that ideal situation, it becomes clear that there are many uncertainties in those predictions.'
To realistically consider how a stratospheric aerosol injection effort might play out, McNeil and his team conducted their own analysis, including the deployment strategies, supply chains, governance options, and the precise physics of particle distribution.
As a result of their analysis, the research team argued that the optimal deployment strategy for stratospheric aerosol injection would be managed by a single, internationally coordinated, centralized governing body.
Spraying by a single, centralized international governing body is particularly important in determining where to release aerosol particles. For example, spraying particles at mid-latitudes could alter heat transport patterns in the atmosphere and affect polar climates, while spraying particles at high latitudes risks disrupting tropical monsoon systems.
And while multiple aerosol releases over time are more effective than a single, large dose, it requires a long-term approach. 'It's not a matter of releasing five teragrams of sulfur into the atmosphere,' says McNeil. 'It's about where and when you do it.'
However, the researchers conclude that this ideal deployment strategy is unlikely to come to fruition, as the real world is not yet cooperative enough to support such a centralized governance body. The alternative to a centralized governance body would be a scattering of several small, independent organizations, which could result in uneven cooling of the planet and a short lifespan for the project.
The next consideration is what material to use: Diamond and zircon are potential candidates, but the modeled demand for stratospheric aerosol injection would equal or exceed the global production of these materials, making them unsuitable candidates.
'Scientists have discussed the use of potential aerosols, but have rarely considered the practical limitations that may limit our ability to inject large amounts of aerosols each year. Many of the proposed materials are not particularly abundant,' said aerosol scientist Miranda Hack, lead author of the paper.
Even supply chains for more abundant materials like limestone and sulfur could be strained by the increased demand from stratospheric aerosol injection. Furthermore, these minerals tend to clump together at the size required for stratospheric aerosol injection, potentially reducing their cooling effect compared to if they were uniformly dispersed.
'Unless these practical limitations are addressed, stratospheric aerosol injection scenarios will move even further away from the idealized scenarios considered in the literature,' the researchers argued.
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