Geoengineering: Effects on cirrus clouds and whitening of the sky
Update July 18, 2013
Image from Nature Education
20 reasons why geoengineering may be a bad idea
BY ALAN ROBOCK
6. Effects of cirrus clouds. As aerosol particles injected into the stratosphere fall to Earth, they may seed cirrus cloud formations in the troposphere.
Cirrus clouds affect Earth’s radiative balance of incoming and outgoing heat, although the amplitude and even direction of the effects are not well understood.
While evidence exists that some volcanic aerosols form cirrus clouds, the global effect has not been quantified.
7. Whitening of the sky (but nice sunsets). Atmospheric aerosols close to the size of the wavelength of light produce a white, cloudy appearance to the sky.
They also contribute to colorful sunsets, similar to those that occur after volcanic eruptions. The red and yellow sky in The Scream by Edvard Munch was inspired by the brilliant sunsets he witnessed over
Oslo in 1883, following the eruption of Krakatau in Indonesia.
Both the disappearance of blue skies and the appearance of red sunsets could have strong psychological impacts on humanity.
The Evolution of a Contrail
June 2, 2012
#Geoengineering #Climate Issues