How billowing boats can reduce global warming?

Scientists at the University of Leeds, UK, say that if the bubbles are smaller, may reflect a greater amount of sunlight back into space and limit the amount of heat absorbed by the oceans.
However, this can also increase the amount of rain in certain areas.
The idea, presented at the meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, USA, is the latest in the field of Geoengineering: the branch of science that investigates how man can technically meet the threat of global warming.
The solutions posed geoengineering to reduce the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth ranging from installing giant mirrors to injecting salt in the clouds to increase their ability to reflect light.
Según le dijo a la BBC Piers Foster, Profesor de la Universidad de Leeds, “the advantage of this technology is already there. While many of the other are hypothetical”.

Double Benefit

When ships cross the ocean, leaving a trail of white foam.
According to experts of Leeds, when the bubbles are smaller foam is brighter.
And here lies one of the most important points, remains in the water longer: these bubbles can last up to 24 hours, while public have a life of a few minutes.
The greatest impact, they say, is achieved As bubbles between 10 and 100 times are reduced to a size of 1 micron (one millionth of a meter).
This can be done by implementing the technology of aerosols on the back of the ships.
“The Japanese are already experimenting with microbubbles under keel boats to make them more aerodynamic and more efficient from an energy point of view”Explains Julia Crook, University of Leeds.
“This can have a double benefit”.
The advantage over methods proposed injections aerosol in the stratosphere, says Crook, is that “one can move boats bubble generators to different parts of the ocean and this will give us greater control over regional temperature and precipitation changes”.

Reduction of 0.5 ° C

The researchers used a computer model to calculate what would happen if this system is implemented in 32,000 large vessels, the estimated number which can be found at sea.
“If instaláramos generators in these boats, and they continue to develop their normal activities, would have the potential to reduce the surface temperature by 0.5 ° C”Says Foster.
A weak point in this this methodology is that it can lead to increased precipitation in some regions.

Moreover, scientists fear it could have unintended consequences for marine ecosystems, although certainly believe that this would not affect ocean productivity.
Anyway, Foster does not believe that any Geoengineering proposals can be implemented in the short term.
It will take decades, says. “They are not the quick fix that people believe”.
“It is also important to say that they are only a temporary solution. What is needed to prevent long-term climate change is to reduce carbon emissions”Concludes the researcher.

SOURCE: Bbc.co.uk