dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaActive Amplification of the Terrestrial Albedo to Mitigate Climate Change: An Exploratory Study
| Authors | Robert M. Hamwey |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0512170 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0512170 |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11027-005-9024-3 |
| Journal | Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Volume 12, Number 4, May, 2007 |
Abstract
This study explores the potential to enhance the reflectance of solar insolation by the human settlement and grassland components of the Earth's terrestrial surface as a climate change mitigation measure. Preliminary estimates derived using a static radiative transfer model indicate that such efforts could amplify the planetary albedo enough to offset the current global annual average level of radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gases by as much as 30 percent or 0.76 W/m2. Terrestrial albedo amplification may thus extend, by about 25 years, the time available to advance the development and use of low-emission energy conversion technologies which ultimately remain essential to mitigate long-term climate change. However, additional study is needed to confirm the estimates reported here and to assess the economic and environmental impacts of active land-surface albedo amplification as a climate change mitigation measure.
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"abstract": "This study explores the potential to enhance the reflectance of solar\ninsolation by the human settlement and grassland components of the Earth\u0027s\nterrestrial surface as a climate change mitigation measure. Preliminary\nestimates derived using a static radiative transfer model indicate that such\nefforts could amplify the planetary albedo enough to offset the current global\nannual average level of radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic greenhouse\ngases by as much as 30 percent or 0.76 W/m2. Terrestrial albedo amplification\nmay thus extend, by about 25 years, the time available to advance the\ndevelopment and use of low-emission energy conversion technologies which\nultimately remain essential to mitigate long-term climate change. However,\nadditional study is needed to confirm the estimates reported here and to assess\nthe economic and environmental impacts of active land-surface albedo\namplification as a climate change mitigation measure.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0512170",
"authors": [
"Robert M. Hamwey"
],
"categories": [
"physics.ao-ph",
"physics.geo-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1007/s11027-005-9024-3",
"journal_ref": "Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Volume 12,\n Number 4, May, 2007",
"title": "Active Amplification of the Terrestrial Albedo to Mitigate Climate Change: An Exploratory Study",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0512170"
},
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