Tag

Marine Cloud Brightening

All articles tagged with #marine cloud brightening

science1 day ago•4 min saved

Sun-dimming proposal eyed to blunt looming super El Niño

UC San Diego researchers propose using marine cloud brightening—injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to brighten clouds and reflect sunlight—as a targeted geoengineering tool to mitigate extreme El Niño effects. Their simulations suggest this could boost cooling and drying by about 40% during major El Niño events, but the idea is controversial, unproven, and would require ongoing deployment; critics caution it could have unintended side effects and argue emissions reduction remains essential.

via New York Post|

#climate-change #el-nino #geoengineering

earth-science5 days ago•17 min saved

Sky-based tweak could blunt El Niño before it begins

A Science Advances modeling study shows that targeted marine cloud brightening over the southeast tropical Pacific could weaken, or even neutralize, developing El Niño events. In simulations of the 1997–1998 and 2015–2016 super El Niños, applying the technique from June through February restored ENSO-neutral conditions, but researchers stress this is a proof-of-concept and not a-ready-for-field approach, noting uncertainties such as potentially faster La Niña onset and other unintended climate effects that require extensive follow-up before any real-world tests.

via Gizmodo|

#climate-science #earth-science #el-nino

science6 days ago•7 min saved

Sunlight Dimming Could Dampen the Next El Niño

A modeling study proposes regional solar dimming through marine cloud brightening to cool the Pacific and lessen El Niño’s strength and global impacts, drawing on the 2019–2020 Australian bushfire smoke as a natural analogue; while potentially feasible as a targeted tool, experts warn about uncertain effects, political challenges, and the need for much more research before any real-world deployment.

via WIRED|

#climate-change #el-nino #geoengineering

science6 days ago•189 min saved

Scientists weigh sun-dimming geoengineering to blunt a coming Super El Niño

A Science Advances study explores marine cloud brightening—spraying particles into ocean clouds to reflect sunlight—as a controversial, temporary tool to lessen the impacts of a potential Super El Niño. Using a natural-fire–driven analog, researchers modeled deploying the technique before two historic El Niño events and found it could reduce heat and dryness and boost La Niña conditions by about 40%, especially if used early. The paper stops short of advocacy, calling it a proof-of-concept that warrants further study while flagging major caveats: technical feasibility, uncertain regional effects, ethical questions about governance, and the risk of unintended consequences or termination shocks if deployed. Experts caution that while intriguing, such geoengineering is far from ready and should not replace emissions cuts.

via CNN|

#climate-change #el-nino #geoengineering

science11 days ago•4 min saved

Geoengineering gamble: one method could dampen El Niño, another barely stirs the climate

A UCSB study finds two cooling geoengineering approaches have very different regional climate effects: marine cloud brightening in the eastern Pacific could dramatically reduce ENSO amplitude (about 61%), altering rainfall and upwelling, while stratospheric aerosol injection shows almost no measurable ENSO impact. The results emphasize that similar global cooling can come with very different regional consequences and underscore the need for careful evaluation of any geoengineering deployment and its ecological and agricultural risks.

via ScienceDaily|

#el-nino #enso #geoengineering

science-and-environment11 months ago•17 min saved

Researchers Secretly Prepare to Dim Sunlight in Major Test

Researchers in California planned a large-scale solar geoengineering test to dim sunlight without public notification, raising concerns about transparency and community engagement, especially after a smaller experiment was abruptly halted due to local backlash and lack of communication with authorities.

via Politico|

#climate-change #geoengineering-experiments #marine-cloud-brightening

environment2 years ago•4 min saved

"Geoengineering US Coasts May Trigger European Heatwaves"

A study reveals that geoengineering techniques aimed at reducing temperatures in California could unintentionally intensify heatwaves in Europe. The research highlights the potential global side-effects of regional climate interventions, such as marine cloud brightening, and underscores the need for international regulations and governance to manage these technologies.

via The Guardian|

#climate-change #environment #geoengineering

climate-science2 years ago•3 min saved

"Exploring Brighter Clouds as a Climate Change Solution"

Scientists are considering the possibility of using a geoengineering technique called "marine cloud brightening" (MCB) to combat climate change by making clouds over the oceans thicker and brighter. This would involve a fleet of ships spraying seawater into the clouds to cool the atmosphere underneath. While the idea has been around for 30 years, a new study published in Science Advances lays out the viability of this technique and proposes a research program. However, challenges and potential side effects, such as changes in weather patterns, need to be addressed before considering widespread deployment.

via USA TODAY|

#climate-change #climate-science #environmental-impact