| | Category | EAEV | L18 | Mathematical Modeling of Solar Radiation Management with |
| | Sulfur Aerosols |
| | Abstract | Along with the increasing presence of greenhouse gasses, climate |
| | change is a significant area of concern. In response to this global |
| | environmental issue, scientists have proposed geoengineering to find a |
| | solution. Geoengineering opts to intervene on a large-scale with the |
| | Earth’s climate to counter global warming. Geoengineers have |
| | proposed a potential technique to obtain climate stabilization through |
| | the deliberate injection of sulfur-based aerosols into the stratosphere. |
| | Past studies show that atmospheric aerosols already have great |
| | capabilities in reflecting solar radiation. Therefore, the utilization of |
| | sulfur-based aerosols appears to be a cheap and effective method for |
| | solar radiation management. Since sulfur-based aerosols react with |
| | atmospheric water vapor to form sulfate particles, this technology |
| | appears to be fruitful as naturally occurring sulfur aerosols demonstrate |
| | reflective properties on a short-term basis. Climate scientists have |
| | conducted small-scale experiments to test the effectiveness of sulfur- |
| | based aerosols, however, this research is still premature. |
| | |
| | In my study, I use mathematical modeling to gauge the effectiveness of |
| | sulfur-based aerosols for solar radiation management. The |
| | effectiveness of sulfur-based aerosols for solar radiation management |
| | is determined through computing the optical thickness of an aerosol |
| | layer, the aerosol’s single scattering albedo, and the fraction of the |
| | direct sun beam reflected upwards off the aerosol layer. All calculations |
| | are made under clear-sky conditions and are based on publicly |
| | available data obtained through proper scientific measures. Data |
| | needed for mathematical modeling of sulfur-based aerosol performance |
| | in reducing the effect of solar radiation-to name a few- includes global |
| | average surface albedo, global cloud fraction, and global mean column |
| | burden for anthropogenic aerosol constituent. After mathematical |
| | modeling is complete, data analyses will determine the significance of |
| | the results in this study for potential real-world applications for solar |
| | radiation management. |
| | Bibliography | Penner, Joyce E., Robert E. Dickinson, and Christine A. O'Neill. |
| | ""Effects of Aerosol from Biomass Burning on the Global Radiation |
| | Budget"." Science 5 June 1992: 1432-434. Print.Penner, J. E., J. |
| | Quaas, T. Storelvmo, et al. "Model Intercomparison of Indirect Aerosol |
| | Effects." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions 6.1 (2006): |
| | 1579-617. Web. |
| | |
| | URL: http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/6/3391/2006/acp-6-3391- |