Could a Major Eruption -Like Katla, Iceland's "Big One"- Reverse Global Warming?

 

Advocates of hacking the planet via "geo-engineering" to cool the Earth to offset the effects of greenhouse gases--suggest that major volcanic eruptions such as Iceland's currently quiet Katla Volcano could be the answer. This sounds powerfully like one of those "beware what you wish for" scenarios with profound unintended consequences -economic and otherwise, as Europe just discovered from the eruption of  the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, Katla's interconnected sister.

Massive eruptions, like the one at Mount Pinatube in 1991, actually did cool the planet by injecting sulfates into the upper reaches of the atmosphere, where they circulated for over a year. Pinatube produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century (after the 1912 eruption of Novarupta) and the largest eruption in living memory with effects of the eruption felt worldwide. It ejected roughly 10 billion metric tons (10 cubic kilometres) of magma, and injected large amounts of aerosols into the stratosphere—more than any eruption since that of Krakatoa in 1883. Over the following months, the aerosols formed a global layer of sulfuric acid haze. Global temperatures dropped by about 0.5 °C (0.9 °F) along with ozone depletion substantially increased.

Advocates have been hoping that another major eruption would come along that could be studied for clues on how best go about artificially cooling the planet.

The eruptions of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano, while impressive and large enough to shut down air traffic in Europe, was just a lower atmosphere event , where the lifetime is on the order of one week, only emitting less than 0.004 Mt of SO2, compared to the 20 Mt that the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption injected into the stratosphere -a minor preview of the havoc this hairbrained geo-enngineering dream would wreck.

To make an impact globally, the geo-engineered volcano nightmare would have to erupt much more violently -or perhaps trigger nearby volcanoes to erupt violently as is predicted for Katla-so that the larger amounts of sulfates would reach the stratosphere and remain in place.

Casey Kazan via MIT Technology Review.

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/energy/25064/?nlid=2910

Comments

[Pete]

Another way to cool the planet down; if we had a global nuclear war it would trigger a nuclear winter.

[Christian Rioux]

When we are all freezing and crops are failing, will the envoronmentalists be happy?

[Max]

Reverse global warming? Uh, no.

However, it could accelerate the current trend of global cooling.

[halı yıkama makinası]

Thanks for posting about this, I would love to read more about this topic.

[AddUrl]

Thanks all photos. But , this is a very very good.

[David]

Intentionally setting off volcanoes... What could go wrong?

[Jason]

You don't wreck havoc, you wreak havoc. Where is the new editor? :(

[Luveen Rupchand Wadhwani]

"... along with ozone depletion substantially increased... Advocates have been hoping that another major eruption would come along..." Really? We actually _want_ to deplete the ozone layer so we can all die of skin cancer once the ashes are gone? If we haven't died already from the ash poisoning? Mr. Kazan, I think that really isn't what advocates were hoping for.

And FYI, to all the environmentalist haters, geo-engineering doesn't pose any risks of this kind, so I really don't see what you have against them and their proposals.

[Annie Earth]

Yes, a large ash cloud can help reflect hat back into the atmosphere before it ever reaches the earths surface. However, if a large eruption causes an ice sheet to fall into the water way near Iceland and Greenland it could cause the oceanic flow to stop completely. So, careful what you wish for.

[gkr]

"Advocates have been hoping that another major eruption would come along that could be studied for clues on how best go about artificially cooling the planet."

Why do we have to figure out how to artificially cool the planet? People have to realize that they must stop their global warming activities. Everyone must reduce their consumption. It is as simple as that. Get out of your car, move to a smaller house that is closer to your work and grocery store, become vegetarian and stop whining. Pretty simple and stop complaining about it. Global warming is happening. Debating about it won't help you or anyone else.

[Ginny]

Read Superfreakonomics...it discusses this

[Miguel]

get the spelling right please. Its Pinatubo. An o not an e...

[finger skate]

Finger skate are used by a range of people from those utilizing them as toys to skateboarding and related sports professionals envisioning not only their own skating maneuvers but for others as well and can include the use for planning out competition courses as skating boarding develops into an international sport.

Skate with your fingers, another feeling

[Bornoz]

The article is very important. Thank you very much.

[Stratejik Pazarlama]

FYI, to all the environmentalist haters, geo-engineering doesn't pose any risks of this kind, so I really don't see what you have against them and their proposals.

[Seo Nedir]

I am scared about global warming. Actually i worry about the end of world.

[interestinghairstyles.com]

This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. You got a definitely helpful blog I’ve been right here reading for about an hour.I have saved this web page so ideally I will discover a lot more on this subject in the future!
interestinghairstyles.com

[Halı Yıkama Makinası]

Excellent post. You have done an excellent job in passing out the message through this blog, keep up the good work! thank you
halı yıkama makinası