Saving Humanity from Catastrophic Cooling with Geo-Engineering

There are two kinds of ice ages; they are fundamentally different and therefore require different methods of mitigation: (i) Major (Milankovitch-style) glaciations occur on a 100,000-year time-scale and are controlled astronomically. (ii) “Little” ice ages were discovered in ice cores; they have been occurring on an approx. 1000-1500-yr cycle and are likely controlled by the Sun [Ref: Singer & Avery 2007. Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1500 years]. The current cycle’s cooling phase may be imminent – hence there may be urgent need for action.

To stop onset of a major (Milankovitch) glaciation

1. Locate a “trigger” – a growing perennial snow/ice field -- using satellites

2. Spread soot, to lower the albedo, and use Sun to melt

3. How much soot? How to apply soot? Learn by experimentation

To lessen (regional, intermittent) cooling of DOB (Dansgaard-Oeschger-Bond) cycles

1. Use greenhouse effect of manmade cirrus (ice particles)
[Ref: Singer 1988. Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics 38:228 - 239]

2. Inject water droplets (mist) near tropopause

3. Trace dispersion of cirrus cloud by satellite and observe warming at surface

4. How much water; over what area? How often to inject? Learn by experimentation

Many scientific questions remain. While certainly interesting and important, there is really no need to delay the crucial and urgent tests of geo-engineering, designed to validate schemes of mitigation. Such proposed tests involve only minor costs and present negligible risks to the environment.