Reply To: Global warming solutions? – geo-engineering? PV cells?

#4334
Martin W
Participant

    In letter to Nature, James Lovelock (of Gaia hypothesis) and Chris Rapley suggest using:

    Quote:
    free-floating or tethered vertical pipes to increase the mixing of nutrient-rich waters below the thermocline with the relatively barren waters at the ocean surface…. Water pumped up pipes — say, 100 to 200 metres long, 10 metres in diameter and with a one-way flap valve at the lower end for pumping by wave movement — would fertilize algae in the surface waters and encourage them to bloom. This would pump down carbon dioxide and produce dimethyl sulphide, the precursor of nuclei that form sunlight-reflecting clouds.

    Ocean pipes could help the Earth to cure itself
    Article on Nat Geog site says they’ve done laboratory experiments showing this may be feasible, and now have sponsor to start small scale trial.
    But, plenty of uncertainties – the pipes may exhale CO2 as process begins, then may disrupt ocean cycles and impact marine life.
    Giant Ocean Tubes Proposed as Global Warming Fix