Preliminary design and cost estimate of a large scale field trial for Earth albedo modification with sulfur dioxide

Abstract

The injection of stratospheric aerosols is an effective and feasible solution to addressing the current speed the global climate change has taken. The current international goal that this research has set as a target is to remain below two degrees Celsius above preindustrial temperatures. With the lack of political will in addressing global warming, an initiative must be made to stabilize the global temperatures and sea level. Sulfur dioxide has been considered as it has proven to reduce the global temperatures when released through volcanic eruptions such as in the case of Mount Pinatubo. The sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere will create a reflectivity of the sunlight and prevent a percentage of the warmth from affecting the Earth's surface temperatures, modifying the Earth's albedo. To give a recommended amount of sulfur dioxide, simulations of injections of varying amounts were run to see the effects on global average temperature and sea level. This determines the necessary negative radiative forcing needed by sulfur dioxide to not only gradually reduce the current trend of the rising temperatures but to stabilize it to meet the target. The model results in this research indicate that the only way to achieve long-term stabilization is to both inject sulfuric aerosols into the stratosphere and regulate carbon dioxide emissions on an international level. This paper will outline the specific proposed method and amount of injections as well as a recommended demonstration and evaluation method to allow for a better understanding of how this system will behave if ever implemented.