Weather Banter - View Single Post - Aluminum Sequin to match the cool summer of 1992; Pinatuba The World's 4 top priority problems as of 2006 and what to do about them

James · June 26th 06, 03:55 PM posted to sci.chem,sci.environment,sci.geo.meteorology

"Eric Swanson" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
says...

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(#4) Global Warming. This is a major problem but not as pressing as the
above 3. And its solution is much easier than the above 3. It can be
solved in a matter of one year time. Whereas the above 3 have no
assured solution. Many people have spoken of this problem and Al Gore
probably the most eloquent. And it is a shame that Al Gore was not
elected in 2000 instead of the anti-science current occupant of the
White House.

Solution: I propose to inject Aluminum Sequin into the Upper
Atmosphere via the routes of high altitude commercial aircraft and of
the Space Shuttle and Space Station. In one year time, we can inject
enough Aluminum Sequin as to make Global Warming into Global Cooling.

Not likely.

The summer of 1992 was the coolest I have experienced. Maybe it was
different in the southern hemisphere.

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It is estimated that the volume of ash of Mt. Pinatuba in the
Philippines of volcanic eruption in June of 1991 is about 30 cubic
kilometers.

How many airplane flights during a year worldwide? What is the cargo
capacity for Aluminum Sequin per plane? Can the world's airplanes cargo
haul 30 cubic kilometers per year.

What is the amount of superior reflectivity of Aluminum Sequin rather
than ash and dust? So that we need not put 30 cubic kilometers but
perhaps only 1 cubic kilometer.

FLASH!! This is a silly idea based on the incorrect notion that it was
the ash and dust that cooled the Earth after Pinatubo. The ash and dust
rains out rather rapidly, within a few weeks and is a local problem.
No, fool, it was the sulfate aerosol lofted into the Stratosphere.

Your ideal to use relatively large "sequins" introduced into the
atmosphere would also be a short term solution, as they would rapidly
fall out of the sky. Placing them in LEO using the Shuttle (which will
be decomissioned around 2010) wouldn't do much either, as they would
fall out of orbit due to atmospheric drag, again a temporary solution.

Seems that would be a good thing. One would not want the stuff up there
forever anyway. If you had to remove it, you would have a bigger problem.
Just asking about the concept, not the mechanics.