Cloud reflectivity enhancement - a technology that might just save our planet after all

From the start of this decade, scientists have started working seriously and investors have been putting handsome money towards alternative research techniques that will help the current Gloabal Warming scenario on Planet Earth. A number of techniques or solutions are being proposed. One of them, which basically attempts to increase the "albedo", or "reflectivity" of the clouds surrounding us, really caught my attention. The beauty of the concept lies in its simple yet effective nature. And if data has to be believed, its pretty cost effective too!


So what is this technique we are talking about here? To understand the theory, lets first try to understand a little bit of science involving the clouds. We all know that water from oceans and streams and rivers evaporate and rise up and finally form clouds. As the water content in these clouds reach a certain limit, they come down back to earth as rain. What not all of us know is that for the transition the vapour state to liquid state (the clouds are nothing but water droplets), water requires a non-gaseous surface. In the earths's atmosphere, this required surface is present in what the scientists refer to as Cloud Condensation Nuclei, or CCN. A typical cloud droplet is about 2 mm is diameter, whereas a typical CCN is about 0.02 mm in diameter.

Without the presence of CCN, the water vapor needs to be supercooled below 0 °C for cloud droplets to form. And on temperatures above 0 °C, the air needs to be supersaturated to above 400% humidty for the water droplets to form.

As you can understand, the higher the presence of CCN in the atmosphere, the more congenial it is for the formation of clouds. Usually, sea salt from the ocean, dust, soot and black carbon emitted from emitted from forest fire act as CCN. In regions where air pollution levels are high due to the presence of dust, soot or carbon particles in the air, the phenomenon results in dense haze. People in Delhi for example, experience that abundantly.

This concept of CCN are being used these days in a technique called Cloud Seeding, where scientists try to encourage rainfall by increasing the CCN concentration of the atmosphere, thereby encouraging cloud formation. The technique is also used these days by geo-engineers to increase the reflective capability of the clouds. Usually in the oceans,lower levels of dust and pollution results in a CCN concentration which is much lesser compared to land. The idea is to have small vessels spray sea water to the atmosphere . As the water evaporates, they form salt particles which acts as CCN.


It has been estimated that around 1.4 billion tonnes of sea water is required to be sprayed each year to raise our planets reflectivity to a level which will be able to compensate the current global warming.
Stephen Salter, professor of engineering design at the University Edinburgh, and Professor John Latham, from the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Colorado are the minds behind the salt water spray strategy. According to Prof Salter, we need to raise the refelectivity level by atleast 10%. Small vessels like the one shown alongside are being proposed for the purpose of spraying salt water across the oceans of the World.


There are, however, much more tests and experiments needs to conducted for everyone to be convinced about the effectiveness of this geo-engineering technique. Not every one is convinced that this is a fool proof technique to combat or even reverse the effects of the high level of Carbon emissions on our planet. There are concerns that by artificially altering the clouds, we may create harmfull effects on our planet's delicate eco system. Lastly, it is not clear that the land areas of our planet will experience the cooling effect.

Whatever may be the concerns, most geo-engineers are sure that Cloud Reflectivity Enhancement will definitely slow down the severe global warming our Mother Earth is facing.

May Day! May Day! May Day! Bulds is here.. B Aware!!

Once upon a time, in a hot sultry town called Kolkata, there used to be this handsome dude who was known to his friends by the name of Bulds. He was a kind person, a person who can not even kill the mosquito who would bit him right on his neck.




Anyways, this kind, harmless guy had a fetish for the golden brown colored liquid which is popular by the name of BEER. He admitted openly, that he was living on BEER. Observers had observed that he consumed fruits and raw vegetables on weekdays at office. Whereas over the weekends, he would easily gobble down 2 large bottles of beer (source: his friends and his house maid). People would not have bothered much though. But the problem was that this kind dude would start talking non stop after consuming all those gallons of beer. Now, you might be wondering what is the big deal in that, isn't it? Just keep on nodding to whatever he said and he would fall asleep anyways. But it was not so simple task. The problem was, he would keep on pushing you to give comments on the thoughts he would be murmuring. And he would get really annoyed if he did not get a proper comment. He would not fall asleep fast either. So you would better be a really patient listener or a big drinker yourself to combat that situation.


People close to him were slowly developing the necessary skills to tackle the "Drunken Bulds" situation. But then, this kind, soft spoken dude started having one more problem. When drunk, he started feeling a world full of love towards people around him. Dudes are not that well accustomed to much affection from fellow dudes. So they really had no answer as to how they would handle this new crisis in their lives. Frankly speaking, they were kinda rattled..









Initially the general consensus was that it was a passing phase. That Bulds will soon realize that his buddies were not deserving enough for the excessive affection he was bestowing on them. No matter how much he wished they were, they would still be the same hairy and dirty dudes. But there were no signs of improvement. The heat of humidity was making things more difficult to control for his friends. I meant the anger and frustration, in case you are wondering some thing else.

Lately however, the buzz is that things are looking better. Last week, Bulds and Co. had a frank discussion on the matter. Bulds realized his flaw and was apparently very apologetic about it.



After a long session, problem was sorted out. Bulds friends have agreed that he can keep on wearing the same annoying yellow T-Shirt as much as he likes. Bulds has promised that he will try to behave himself from now on.

Last week, The gang was seen partying again in "Some Place Else" and other joints in Park Street, Kolkata. They have even started hanging around at his home again. God Bless this friendship..!! :)