Diamond dust could play a role in climate control efforts, study suggests

Recent research suggests that injecting particulate matter into the atmosphere can significantly moderate stratospheric warming as the rate continues to increase around the globe.

One study published in the journal Geophysical Research Lettersresearchers used computer animation to test different aerosols and found that diamonds and calcites might be the best at dampening the heat.

Certain solid materials can result in less disruption of surrounding patterns Earthbut whether these materials will ever be tested in the real world remains unclear, according to the researchers.

“…We suggest further research into agglomeration processes in aircraft turbulent wakes as well as measurements of the optical properties of a variety of potential particulate materials,” they stated.

Antarctica’s ‘doomsday glacier’ is melting differently than scientists thought.

According to NOAAthe rate of global warming has been accelerating since at least the mid-1800s, with temperatures rising by 0.11°F each decade.

This additional warmth is thought to contribute to reduced ice and snow cover, as well as changes in the intensity of precipitation, leading to greater frequency. extreme weather the events.

Groups have been testing stratospheric aerosol injection for years, but some climate experts remain skeptical of its overall effectiveness.

The method of spraying sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere does not reduce the globe’s main greenhouse gas – carbon dioxide – and, according to scientists, the chemical could actually have negative consequences for pollution and the ozone layer.

The goal, whether through gases or solids, is to maximize reflection and reverse the impact of sunlight and its associated heat.

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The study’s findings also highlighted some of the uncertainties surrounding the feasibility of using solid particles.

“Uncertainties remain as to whether stratospheric dispersion of solid particles is feasible without the formation of agglomerates,” the researchers said.

The study also did not consider the potential costs of such efforts, either for testing or for permanent use.

The average price for a one-carat diamond is between $2,000 and $16,000, compared to the average cost of sulfur dioxide, which is only around $185 per metric ton.

Given the millions of tons of material needed to cool the Earth each year, the costs would likely make diamonds prohibitively expensive, keeping scientists on a mission to search for materials that could save the world from future impacts of climate change.

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