Articles tagged with Geological Engineering
Researchers led by Cornell University are evaluating the potential of making the stratosphere 'brighter' to cool the Earth. They use geoengineering simulations to assess the impact of injecting sulfate aerosols, a known pollutant, on climate change mitigation strategies.
Associate Professor Angelina Anani has won a $300,000 career development grant from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration to support her research on mine planning and operations. She plans to use virtual and augmented reality technologies to optimize industry decisions and minimize risks.
A new study proposes designing permeable pavements to reduce flood impacts in Australia, with the potential to store up to 50% of rainfall and reduce urban flooding by up to 50%. The proposed system takes into account local soil types and rainfall intensity, and has been tested on 107 towns and cities across Australia.
The RFF Solar Geoengineering Research Project has awarded $10,000 grants to eight teams to investigate the social science implications of solar geoengineering. The projects will explore the risks, benefits, and uncertainties of this emerging technology.
Researchers at EPFL and ETH Zurich propose a rational explanation for the deaths of nine hikers in 1959, attributing their injuries to a small slab avalanche. The team's work was met with intense media attention and criticism from conspiracy theorists before being accepted by the Russian scientific community.
A new study assesses the safety and cost-effectiveness of deploying aerosols at an altitude of 25 km, finding that such a height would be more effective but also pose unacceptable risks. The research clarifies the practical limits to solar geoengineering, which is crucial for climate intervention models globally.
Debra Laefer, a Professor at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, receives the Harry Schnabel Jr. Award for her novel approach to urban mapping and remote sensing technologies. Her work has led to projects in disaster mitigation and response, as well as protecting architecturally significant buildings from sub-surface construction.
The seminar on geothermal energy held by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) showcases the growing interest in the renewable source among oil and gas professionals. The event highlights opportunities for oil and gas experts, market trends, challenges, and potential solutions for scaling geothermal energy globally.
A team of Chinese scholars used deep seismic reflection profiling to uncover the fine details of continental collision, solving a decades-long mystery. The study found four key points: northward subduction, a crustal-scale vertical collision, and southward subduction under the Qilian Mountains.
A new study suggests that atmospheric conditions in the stratosphere pose a challenge to generating sulfuric acid, a crucial component of a proposed geoengineering strategy to mitigate climate change. Researchers found that solar radiation causes HOSO2 to quickly photolyse, breaking it down into harmful sulfur dioxide, which may reduce...
A group of Harvard scholars, including David Keith and Joseph Aldy, argue that more thorough social science research is needed into solar geoengineering to understand its potential risks and benefits. They suggest pursuing three research themes: assessing costs and benefits, understanding deployment incentives, and evaluating SG in a p...
Climatologists tested a solar geoengineering scenario using the MAR climate model to reduce Greenland's mass loss by 6% locally. However, the researchers warn that this approach is not sufficient to stabilize the ice cap by the end of the century and poses risks to the ozone layer and water cycles.
Research from Harvard University suggests that solar geoengineering may be surprisingly effective in alleviating some of the worst impacts of global warming on crops. The study found that all three potential methods have a strong cooling effect benefiting crop yields.
A team of researchers explored the effect of solar radiation modification technologies on ecology, focusing on a specific strategy called stratospheric aerosol intervention (SAI) that creates a sulfate aerosol cloud in the stratosphere to reduce incoming sunlight and radiation. The study highlights the complexity of cascading relations...
Researchers investigate the ecological impacts of solar radiation modification (SRM) on Earth's ecosystems. The study predicts SRM could have complex and uneven effects on ecosystem functions and biodiversity. Climate scientists emphasize the need for continued decarbonization efforts alongside SRM research.
A team of experts, including Phoebe Zarnetske and Jessica Gurevitch, investigate the ecological impacts of reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. Their research highlights the complexity of cascading relationships between ecosystem function and climate under different scenarios.
A study modeled the effects of solar geoengineering and rising greenhouse gas concentrations on subtropical stratocumulus clouds. The results suggest that solar geoengineering alone may not be sufficient to prevent strong warming from direct CO2 effects.
A Rutgers University study suggests geoengineering could reduce global warming's most dangerous effects if carbon emissions are drastically reduced. The technology involves creating sulfuric acid clouds to block solar radiation.
A Rutgers University-led study found that geoengineering's benefits for apple production in northern India are limited and may backfire if stopped abruptly. The research suggests that global warming would reduce apple production due to the winter chill period, and adaptation efforts would only partially succeed.
Researchers found that solar geoengineering schemes could weaken extratropical storm tracks in both hemispheres, leading to less powerful winter storms but also stagnant conditions and reduced wind. The study's results have significant implications for understanding the potential effects of climate engineering on global weather patterns.
A new laboratory experiment reveals that climate geoengineering can lead to increased inequalities and economic losses, particularly when countries employ 'free driving' strategies. The study also found high strategic uncertainty and miscoordination among countries through counter-geoengineering solutions.
A new study by UCL and Harvard researchers found that halving warming by adding aerosols to the stratosphere could moderate important climate hazards in almost all regions, with only a small fraction experiencing increased climate change. The approach should be considered as a complementary measure to emissions cuts.
A new study finds that solar geoengineering could reduce global income inequality by 50%, with poorer countries benefiting most. The technology could also lead to a 200% increase in GDP growth for developing countries.
Scientists from Technical University of Munich found that the plug dome's permeability drops significantly as stone alteration increases, leading to an imminent eruption. This discovery enables more reliable prediction of volcanic eruptions, with reduced outgassing being a key indicator of an impending event.
A new study investigates the climate effects of aerosol particles in a geophysical paper. The authors found that both geoengineering and volcanic eruptions decrease surface temperatures with land cooling faster than the ocean.
A new study published in Frontiers in Communication reveals that YouTube videos on climate change opposition to worldwide scientific consensus and hijack technical terms to appear credible. Scientists are urged to form alliances with influential YouTubers and politicians to ensure accurate video content reaches the widest audience.
New research finds that smaller doses of solar geoengineering could work in tandem with emission cuts to lower the risks of a changing climate. The study suggests that no IPCC-defined region would be made worse off, with big uncertainties remaining but potentially uniform benefits across the globe.
Researchers found that measuring the brightness of light alone is not enough to infer stratospheric aerosols, highlighting the need for an instrument with precise polarization measurements. A specialized Earth-orbiting instrument is necessary to obtain comprehensive information on aerosol properties and distribution.
A new study published in PNAS outlines a mission-driven approach to understanding the impacts of geoengineering and informs policy. The research focuses on releasing sulfate aerosols into the stratosphere, mimicking natural volcanic eruptions.
Researchers emphasize the need for prioritized uncertainty identification in aerosol geoengineering to address climate change. The article suggests a model-based approach with potential small-scale field experimentation once global consensus is achieved.
A hypothetical 'solar geoengineering' project aiming to halve anthropogenic radiative forcing by injecting sulphates into the lower stratosphere is technically possible, but unreasonably costly with current technology. The estimated development costs for an airframe and engine modifications are under $2 billion.
Researchers warn that geoengineering and alternative solutions like tree planting, biochar, and NETs (negative emissions technologies) won't be enough to meet climate goals. Emission cuts remain the only sure way to limit global warming to 1.5C or less.
A new analysis by University of California, Berkeley researchers concludes that injecting particles into the atmosphere to cool the planet would have no effect on reducing crop damage from rising temperatures. The study found that lower productivity due to reduced sunlight would negate any benefits of cooler temperatures.
Scientists from 12 countries urge caution on climate geoengineering, warning it may do more harm than good. Developing countries are most vulnerable to climate change and geoengineering's unintended consequences, including acidification of the ocean and disruptions to biodiversity.
Researchers found that geoengineering methods could shift global rainfall patterns, leading to increased fire risk in some regions despite lower global temperatures. The study suggests that the benefits of limiting global warming to 1.5C would be offset by unintended consequences for certain areas.
A group of 12 scholars from developing countries urge global leadership on solar radiation management (SRM) geoengineering to reduce climate change impacts. The proposal involves spraying reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to mimic volcanic cooling effects.
Researchers propose targeting geoengineering at specific negative consequences of climate change, slowing sea-level rise by preserving continental ice sheets. The engineering costs and scales of these projects are comparable to today's large civil engineering projects, but with extra challenges due to the remote polar environment.
Rutgers researchers warn that abruptly ending geoengineering efforts could lead to rapid warming, devastating droughts, and devastating El Niño events. The study highlights the need for gradual stopping of such efforts to avoid severe biological impacts on ecosystems.
Artificially cooling the planet through geoengineering could have devastating effects on regions prone to storms or droughts, a new study shows. The researchers warn that targeting one hemisphere for geoengineering could lead to increased likelihood of natural disasters in other parts of the world.
A new study has identified the triggers behind a devastating 2010 landslide in Quebec, Canada, which killed four people and destroyed a house. Sediment erosion by the Salvail River and high groundwater pressure under the river bed contributed to the failure of sensitive clay sediments.
Researchers used models to simulate the effectiveness of a combined set of geoengineering tools in reducing warming and precipitation changes. The study found that deploying both methods in concert could decrease global warming to pre-industrial levels, but with substantial regional variations in rainfall.
Researchers have identified an aerosol, calcite, that can counter ozone loss while reflecting light and cooling the planet. The discovery aims to mitigate the risks of solar geoengineering by neutralizing sulfuric acid emissions.
A study by Carnegie Institution for Science and University of California Irvine surveyed top atmospheric scientists, finding that 76 out of 77 rejected the existence of a secret spraying program. Experts attribute alleged 'chemtrails' to airplane contrail formation and poor data sampling.
The National Science Foundation awards UC Davis a five-year, $5 million grant to utilize the large earthquake-simulating centrifuge for natural hazards engineering research. Researchers can build complex models and conduct accurate scale-model studies of soils and soil-structure systems.
A new study suggests that geoengineering techniques, such as Solar Radiation Management, can reduce the risk of global severe bleaching and degradation of coral reefs. The research found that even under ambitious CO2 reduction scenarios, widespread coral bleaching will occur by the middle of this century.
A new study found that learning about geoengineering increased open-mindedness toward climate change evidence and reduced polarization. Participants who learned about geoengineering showed more agreement on the significance of such evidence, compared to those who received information on carbon-emission limits.
Researchers from Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences propose a controlled experiment to test the risks and benefits of solar radiation management, aiming to reduce uncertainty in climate engineering. The 'stratospheric perturbation experiment' would involve a tiny amount of material to measure key aspects of atmospheric ...
Researchers found that embarking on geoengineering, then stopping, could exacerbate climate change by speeding up global warming. Continuous geoengineering would cause a drastic rate of temperature change, posing significant threats to ecosystems and biodiversity.
Researchers propose using water spray from tall buildings to remove aerosol pollutants, reducing fine particle load in the atmosphere. This geoengineering technique is environmentally safe, technologically feasible, efficient, and low-cost.
A special issue of the journal Climatic Change examines the proposed Oxford Principles for governing geoengineering research, including technical hurdles, ethics, and regulatory issues. The study highlights the need for interdisciplinary discussion on geoengineering, which has gained credibility in the scientific community.
A new study finds that geoengineering approaches to mitigate global warming could result in reduced rainfall and snowfall worldwide. The research suggests that these techniques would not only fail to address the root problem of climate change but also have unintended consequences, such as altered regional precipitation patterns.
Elsevier has launched a new journal, Transportation Geotechnics, to publish research on all aspects of geotechnics for roads, highways, railways, and waterways. The journal aims to bridge the gap between transportation engineering and geotechnical engineering.
Researchers found that limiting greenhouse warming to three watts per square metre can slow coral reef habitat loss. However, artificial temperature regulation through solar radiation geoengineering may have unintended consequences on tropical corals.
Geoengineering researchers propose a new framework to guide governance of climate-altering technologies. The UCLA and Harvard experts suggest allowing low-risk research to proceed while addressing public concerns and ending the current legal void that facilitates rogue projects.
Geoengineering experts Edward Parson and David Keith propose a new structure for regulating geoengineering research to manage climate change risks. They advocate for scientific self-regulation, government authority, and international coordination to ensure low-risk research advances while addressing public concerns.
A geoengineering coalition aims to reduce climate change by deflecting sun radiation, but new research suggests excluding non-participating countries may be counterproductive. Maintaining openness and inclusiveness in decision-making processes could be crucial for successful geoengineering efforts.
A new model promises to maximize the effectiveness of solar radiation management while mitigating its potential side effects and risks. The study found that tailored solar geoengineering might limit Arctic sea ice loss with several times less total solar shading than in a uniform case.
Research models suggest varying geoengineering efforts can combat climate impacts in at-risk areas, reversing long-term changes in Arctic sea ice. A study published in Nature Climate Change found that tailoring geoengineering efforts by region and over time could potentially improve effectiveness and reduce risks.
Researchers at University of Washington suggest testing the concept of marine cloud brightening through a small-scale experiment. The study aims to investigate the feasibility and potential climatological impacts of adding sea salt particles to clouds over oceans, which could create a cooling effect on Earth.
A team of European scientists found that geoengineering could lead to significant rainfall reduction in large areas, including a 15% decrease in North America and 20% in parts of South America. Climate engineering is unlikely to be a substitute for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.