Climate-fixing aggressors stopped by heroic moneymen

[Elok]

(I'm bringing it back, baby!)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15132989

Short summary:

A pioneering test of a climate "tech fix" planned for October faces a six-month delay as scientists discuss the issues it raises with their critics.

The test is part of the UK-based Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering (Spice) project.

It would use a balloon and a kilometre-long hose to spray water into the upper atmosphere - a prelude to spraying climate-cooling sulphate particles.

But the funders believe that more talks about the social aspects are needed.

And by social aspects, they mean environmental groups who are upset that this will make us less frantic about carbon. Personally, I don't know that it's really possible for most of the world to be less frantic about carbon, at least in practical terms. Also, I'm all for quick-fix/half-assed solutions to otherwise intractable problems. Of course, there is the risk that they will spray so much sulphate that it will...kill us all somehow, second ice age or something, I don't know but I'm sure somebody will say it. Also, yes, Climate Change is a myth to channel money into the pockets of the powerful solar panel industry and away from other, less-connected industrialists.

Anyway, geo-engineering: what's your opinion?

[giblets]

Are there any other effects of having sulfate in the atmosphere or does it just deflect light?

[Elok]

Beats me, I was hoping someone here would know. Obviously it's not highly toxic or they would've been shut down long ago.

[onodera]

I think I've read about this in SuperFreakonomics. They guy's name was something like Nathan Meyerhold.

Coal power stations produce a lot of sulphates already. They want just to pump it higher.

[Kidlicious]

@ OP

I was thinking it made a chemical reaction that caused cooling but science really isn't my thing.

[Hauldren Collider]

Yeah, I read about it in SuperFreakonomics too. Apparently it would cost less to operate per year than Al Gore's private jet. **** Al Gore.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Sulfates in the atmosphere. You mean the same ones everyone was in a huff about and made sure we eliminated to the greatest extent possible to avoid acid rain events back in the 70s. Yup we fixed our problems to ensure we could see an inevitable temperature rise as a consequence.

[Felch]

Ogie, they're not the same thing.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Ogie, they're not the same thing.

Sulfates are oxidized elemental sulfer. SO4 to be precise, an outcome of burning sulfur laden fuels such as high sulfer coal or sour oils. They were targeted for post stack treatments with lime beds and scrubbers as an outcome of clean air act regs. See also wiki re: sulfates environmental effects

[giblets]

I guess having an easy fix would have just been too convenient to be true.

[Elok]

I guess having an easy fix would have just been too convenient to be true.

Not all truths are inconvenient.

(my apologies if you were implying that joke and I totally just killed it)

[Felch]

I did wiki it. I wikied acid rain, and I learned that acid rain is caused by sulfur dioxide. Which meshes with my recollection of the Clean Air Act, that it focuses on emissions of SO2 and NOx.

[DaShi]

All I know about sulfates and climate change is that they affect the earth's libido.

[Kidlicious]

I did wiki it. I wikied acid rain, and I learned that acid rain is caused by sulfur dioxide. Which meshes with my recollection of the Clean Air Act, that it focuses on emissions of SO2 and NOx.

I node it waz chemical reaction. I haz fizics smarteez.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

I did wiki it. I wikied acid rain, and I learned that acid rain is caused by sulfur dioxide. Which meshes with my recollection of the Clean Air Act, that it focuses on emissions of SO2 and NOx.

Combustionof sulfur take many fomrs other than straight SO2 production. Analogous to combustion products of Carbon and oxygen being other than simply CO2 but also including CO or Nitrogen combustion products including a family of Nitrogenoxides NOx. The SO2 route ultimately forms sulfurous acid while the SO3 and the accompanying Sulfate salt SO4(-2) produces sulfuric acid. Both are created however when sulfur laden fuels combust.