Advanced search

Answers


Is there a light coloured ash, which could play its part in mitigating climate change?

Is there a light coloured ash which could be used to cover fields after they have been sown in order to reflect sunlight for a period of time, fertilise the crop while also effecting large scale carbonation and a form of sequestrationat the same time?. If not could one be developed?.

sssss
 (no votes)

submit an answer
  • Member status
  • none

Categories: Technology.

Tags: technology, environment, planetearth.

 

Report abuse


1 answer(s)


Reply

Jon-Richfield says:

Several years ago, before I was aware of the climate change controversies, I proposed measures along such lines for various forms of weather control, and in fact regional climate control for various reasons.

There are many substances that could be used in various ways for such purposes, though most of the examples that I could think of would favour darkening rather than lightning of surfaces. Darkening is generally easier and more controllable. White materials are generally scarcer and more expensive.

Hydrides of silicon and phosphorus burn in air to form reasonably harmless, intensely white particles that are easy to disperse, but I suspect that they would be very expensive for such applications. Magnesium or calcium oxide smokes, or their hydroxides or carbonates might be cheaper. None of them would be proof against rain and none would last long in reasonable conditions.

Light coloured clays such as kaolin probably would be cheaper but harder to prepare and disperse properly. Possibly organic materials such as paper dust would be particularly suitable.

As a countermeasure to global warming, I doubt that any such material would be viable, but something of the kind might be useful for climate control, and that is far more important.

sssss
 (1 vote) average rating:5

Tags: technology, environment, planetearth.

top

posted on 2010-11-28 13:02:21 | Report abuse


The last word is ...

the place where you ask questions about everyday science

Answer questions, vote for best answers, send your videos and audio questions, save favourite questions and answers, share with friends...

register now


ADVERTISMENT