Scientists Suggest Dehydrating the Stratosphere to Offset ‘Global Boiling’

Scientists propose a geoengineering technique to reduce water vapor in the stratosphere, potentially offering a new method to combat ‘global warming.’

By yourNEWS Media Staff

Scientists are exploring a geoengineering method aimed at dehydrating the stratosphere to mitigate global warming, as detailed in a study published in Science Advances. The technique focuses on seeding clouds in specific areas to prevent water vapor, a significant greenhouse gas, from accumulating in the atmosphere’s upper layers. This vapor can absorb and re-emit heat, contributing to global warming. A notable increase in stratospheric water during the 1990s may have amplified global warming by up to 30% during that period.

Lead author Shuka Schwarz, a research physicist at NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Lab, suggests that drying the stratosphere could significantly impact global warming, with as little as 2 kilograms of material needed weekly for the process. This method targets rising moist air with cloud-forming particles to prevent it from entering the stratosphere, potentially cooling the climate by 1.4% relative to the warming caused by increased CO2 levels over centuries.

The plan involves injecting bismuth triiodide, a nontoxic compound effective in ice nucleation, into strategic locations where updrafts could carry moisture into the stratosphere, particularly above the western equatorial Pacific Ocean. Such interventions could be executed using balloons or drones, minimizing the need for airplanes.

However, experts like Daniel Cziczo of Purdue University and Mark Schoeberl of the Science and Technology Corporation urge caution, highlighting potential risks such as the inadvertent formation of cirrus clouds, which might instead increase warming. They advocate for comprehensive studies to understand the full implications and effectiveness of this approach.

The discussion around geoengineering solutions, like stratospheric dehydration, has become more accepted in scientific circles, driven by the slow pace of emission cuts and the search for cost-effective methods to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Initiatives and research into geoengineering governance are being supported by entities such as the European Union and the Simons Foundation, indicating a growing interest in exploring such climate intervention strategies despite existing controversies and challenges.