Bill Gates and Artificial Clouds

  • Thread starter JRDunassigned
  • Start date
It is interesting that they say there would be no long term effects. What about altering rain patterns in certain areas?In summary, Bill Gates is funding a controversial climate-altering technology called Silver Lining Project. This project involves developing machines that can convert seawater into microscopic particles and blow them up to the cloud level of 1,000 meters, thus whitening clouds and increasing their reflectivity. The trial will involve 10 ships and 10,000sq km of ocean. While some scientists have expressed concerns about the accuracy of the news article reporting Gates' involvement, it is clear that the project is still in its early stages and no field tests have been conducted yet. This technology differs from traditional cloud seeding methods and aims
  • #1
JRDunassigned
http://www.psfk.com/2010/05/bill-gates-funding-controversial-climate-altering-technology.html

Silver Lining will develop machines to convert seawater into microscopic particles capable of being blown up to the cloud level of 1,000 meters. This would whiten clouds by increasing the number of nuclei. The trial would involve ten ships and 10,000sq km (3,800sq miles) of ocean. Armand Neukermanns, who is leading the research, said that whitening clouds was “the most benign form of engineering” because, while it might alter rainfall, the effects would cease soon after the machines were switched off.

I want to call shenanigans but...
 
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  • #2
Well, I like the fact that he's trying new and different things and thinking outside the box, even if he's mostly just going after crapshoots. It's his money, though, so he can have at it.
 
  • #3
The OP, JRDunassigned, has given us a quote from Times Online and also there is a link to the Times Online article. Brief comment, on May 12, 2010, Gretchen Weber wrote an article, Geoengineering Field Tests on the Horizon? Here it is.

Bill Gates may investing in geoengineering projects, but a widely-quoted news story reporting that he contributed $300,000 to a San Francisco company to launch climate-intervention field tests is full of inaccuracies, according to one scientist involved. The article, which appeared Monday on the Times Online website, asserts that Gates gave the company, Silver Lining Project, the funds to develop machines to spray seawater up to 1,000 meters into the sky in efforts to whiten clouds and increase their reflectivity, thus blocking the sun and ultimately slowing the rate of atmospheric warming. The article then describes a planned field trial, which would involve 10 ships and 10,000 square km of ocean, leading some readers to assume that Gates is funding the largest-scale geoengineering field test to date.

According to Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institute of Global Ecology at Stanford, Silver Lining has received no funds from Gates personally. Instead, he said, the $300,000 was allotted by Caldeira and David Keith, who have been directing geoengineering project funding for Gates. Caldeira explained in an email that the scientists dispensed funds not to Silver Lining for field tests, but to engineer Armand Neukermans and his team, "to test the feasibility of fine seawater sprays in the laboratory."

"There was no funding given for the planning, preparation, or execution of any field tests," Caldeira wrote. "I have expressly said that private efforts to conduct field tests should await the development of appropriate governance structures. I am opposed to private entities conducting field tests without appropriate governance and would oppose funding such activities."

[Please read on . . .]
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2010/05/12/geoengineering-field-experiments-on-the-horizon/

Honestly, I've never been impressed by Times Online's articles.
 
  • #4
I'm curious as to how they plan to measure the effectiveness of the effort. High altitude or satellite photography? How much albedo change do they think they can produce? One in a thousand? Million?
 
  • #5
mheslep said:
I'm curious as to how they plan to measure the effectiveness of the effort. High altitude or satellite photography? How much albedo change do they think they can produce? One in a thousand? Million?

I don't have any answers to your questions, mheslep. It seems as though engineer Armand Neukerman's Silver Lining Project is at this time 'to test the feasibility of fine seawater sprays in the laboratory'. :smile:

I would also encourage viewers to open my last link and preview other links in the article.:smile:

Have a nice weekend to one and all. I have a barbeque fest at my house today!:smile:
 
  • #6
It doesn't really sound new to me. It is called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_seeding" and it has been studied or used for almost a century now.
 
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  • #7
jack action said:
It doesn't really sound new to me. It is called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_seeding" and it has been studied or used for almost a century now.
Eh? This project differs in means and desired outcome. There's no silver iodide or other compound other than sea water being sent aloft here, and the desired outcome is not increased precipitation but more cloud cover, which must be done with some efficiency since eventual scale is global.
 
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  • #8
these clouds can't produce rain, right? If it did, it would have some practical applications when it comes to taking out mountain fires, etc
 

1. Who is Bill Gates?

Bill Gates is an American entrepreneur, software developer, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, one of the world's largest and most successful technology companies.

2. What are artificial clouds?

Artificial clouds, also known as geoengineering or solar radiation management, are techniques used to reflect sunlight and cool the Earth's surface in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. This can be achieved by injecting particles into the atmosphere to create a layer of clouds that reflect sunlight away from the Earth.

3. How is Bill Gates involved in artificial clouds?

Bill Gates is not directly involved in the research or implementation of artificial clouds, but he has shown interest in the technology as a potential solution to climate change. Through his philanthropic organization, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he has funded research and projects related to geoengineering.

4. What are the potential benefits of artificial clouds?

The potential benefits of artificial clouds include reducing the Earth's temperature, slowing the effects of climate change, and mitigating the impacts of extreme weather events. It is also a relatively low-cost solution compared to other methods of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

5. What are the potential risks and concerns associated with artificial clouds?

There are several potential risks and concerns associated with artificial clouds, including the potential for unintended consequences, such as altering local weather patterns and causing harm to ecosystems. There are also ethical concerns related to manipulating the Earth's natural systems and the potential for the technology to be used as a "quick fix" instead of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. More research is needed to fully understand the potential risks and benefits of artificial clouds.

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