Promoting Volcanism to Fight Global Warming and European Emission Standards

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

First, some facts:

1. The gases and dust particles thrown into the atmosphere during volcanic eruptions have influences on climate. Most of the particles spewed from volcanoes cool the planet by shading incoming solar radiation. The cooling effect can last for months to years depending on the characteristics of the eruption.

2. Particles of Dust and Ash: Volcanic ash or dust released into the atmosphere during an eruption shade sunlight and cause temporary cooling. Larger particles of ash have little effect because they fall out of the air quickly. Small ash particles form a dark cloud in the troposphere that shades and cools the area directly below. Most of these particles fall out of the atmosphere within rain a few hours or days after an eruption. But the smallest particles of dust get into the stratosphere and are able to travel vast distances, often worldwide. These tiny particles are so light that they can stay in the stratosphere for months, blocking sunlight and causing cooling over large areas of the Earth.

3. Sulfur: Often, erupting volcanoes emit sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. Sulfur dioxide is much more effective than ash particles at cooling the climate. The sulfur dioxide moves into the stratosphere and combines with water to form sulfuric acid aerosols. The sulfuric acid makes a haze of tiny droplets in the stratosphere that reflects incoming solar radiation, causing cooling of the Earth’s surface. The aerosols can stay in the stratosphere for up to three years, moved around by winds and causing significant cooling worldwide. Eventually, the droplets grow large enough to fall to Earth.

https://scied.ucar.edu/shortcontent/how-volcanoes-influence-climate

Therefore, it appears to me that volcanic eruptions should be embraced in our fight against climate change and in an effort to cool the planet. This being the case I firmly believe that some of that 500 billion dollars (USD) which is earmarked to be spent in developing nations to fight climate change, as per the Paris Agreement, should be spent causing volcanic eruptions, especially in the tropics. I say this due to the fact that because of atmospheric circulation patterns, eruptions in the tropics can have an effect on the climate in both hemispheres while eruptions at mid or high latitudes only have impact the hemisphere they are within.

How do we induce volcanism? Not sure, but it seems that we need to breach the crust above the magma chambers, in regions where the crust is thin. I would assume that the oil industry could provide the necessary geological and geophysical information to locate suitable locations, then provide the necesary hydraulic fracturing (fracing) technology and equipment to breach these chambers.

HSE may be an issue as the eruption is likely to occur directly underneath the frac equipment on the surface. This is where robotics or excess Millenials come into play.

As you can see, this is a win-win situation all the way around. Paris Agreement money is spent in developing nations, we instigate global cooling and there is the possiblitiy of addressing the exploding global population.

Now, on a personal level, I am exceedlingly annoyed at the Euro-4 and Euro-5 emissions standards screwing up the latest models of motorcycles, not only in Europe, but just about anywhere else on the planet where motorcycles are sold (yet another reason for a hard Brexit now, but I digress). I think that a viable alternative would be for the serious European motorcycle companies (Triumph {Brexit!}, Ducati, Aprilia, BMW, KTM, etc...) to 'sponsor' volcanoes. If say, Ducati sponsored a fairly serious volcanic eruption every five years, with lots of sulfur, dust and ash, that they should be exempt from hamstringing their motorcycles with this Euro-4 and Euro-5 nonsense.

Anyhow, food for thought. 

Keep the shiny side up and the lava flowing!

[Guest]

Why is no one working on this?

[El Nikko + 2,145]

Just thinking about how to meme this in the existence

[El Nikko + 2,145]

Also we should work in tractor beams to capture meteorites, they caused cooling on such a huge scale it wiped out a massive % of life on earth

[Marcin + 519]

@Douglas Buckland It is fantastic you bring this subject. I was once also interested in volcanism versus climate change.

As per some inquiry I have done, in historical times the impact of volcanism on climate change is negligent (both as the long-term factor increasing and decreasing planet temperatures)

Vast majority of volcanic activity is in the form of ashes. Volcanic eruption cause them to be put into the lower layers of atmospere. Take Tambora 1816, VEI 7 eruption, globally largest one. Yes, the next year was called the year without the summer in Europe, global temperatures decreased. But the effect was only temporal, after a few years all changed back to normal.

And VEI 7 eruptions we have only every 500-1000 years on Earth.

VEI 8 eruption would definitely have larger impact, but not such case in historical times.

Smaller part of volcanic activity is in greenhouse gases, it is negligent in comparison to human activity.

Of course we cannot be sure in what form future large eruptions would be, but very, very low probability of substantial climate impact of volcanism in human (not geological) timeframe.

[James Regan + 1,776]

3 hours ago, DayTrader said:

Why is no one working on this?

@Douglas Buckland Great topic and completely feasible, we have the technology in place we only need to position it strategically , Volcanoes are the number one polluters world wide, one semi dormant volcano spews more toxic emissions than the human race since records began in the 17th Century.

How do we induce eruptions? I have personally induced an eruption of a mud volcanos in the Caspian Sea, all that is required is a 36inch hole opener, the subsea Bulges are very obvious when you see them. It's known as Lancing, normally as soon as the bulges are spudded, the eruptions start. Subsea Volcanos are definitely the starting place and from there we would require to adapt the tech to surface Volcanos. Another option is Pingu eruptions in the arctic, another easy target and would not require vast amounts of money, the arctic would be the best place to start saving the planet, its untouched so results would be easily verified.

The motorcycle industry has been sending subliminary messages to the population of the world for decades, the link between the motorcycle industry and the earths core or satans place of choice is not really a secret. 

[Marcin + 519]

Human race knows 2 ways of bringing matter over troposhere (you would like the effect to last, wouldn't you ?)

1. Controllable one. Space flight. Through usage of rocket engines, but it is very costly.

2. Not controllable one. Through large nuclear explosions. It is called nuclear winter, but I am glad to live with global warming instead of this.

You invent the third one, do not tell anybody, publish results and get Nobel prize.

[James Regan + 1,776]

6 minutes ago, Marcin said:

Human race knows 2 ways of bringing matter over troposhere (you would like the effect to last, wouldn't you ?)

1. Controllable one. Space flight. Through usage of rocket engines, but it is very costly.

2. Not controllable one. Through large nuclear explosions. It is called nuclear winter, but I am glad to live with global warming instead of this.

You invent the third one, do not tell anybody, publish results and get Nobel prize.

Would exploding Nuclear devices on the moon, not be worth a fag packet drawing and put on the table for discussion?

[PE Scott + 563]

22 hours ago, Douglas Buckland said:

HSE may be an issue as the eruption is likely to occur directly underneath the frac equipment on the surface. This is where robotics or excess Millenials come into play

You crack me up.