But let’s hope that this does not mean the end of the world. Sulfate particles will be released into the stratosphere close to the lower atmosphere by high-flying aircraft as part of the experiment.
Ideally, this will stop part of the sun’s rays from hitting the earth and bouncing back into space. A few weeks before the bigger stratospheric effort begins, small-scale inside testing might start.
As early modeling studies have already shown, this may turn out to be a somewhat inexpensive method of cooling the earth if everything goes according to plan.
In an interview with the Guardian, Mark Symes, project manager at Aria the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, outlined the need for this study.
The unsettling reality is that many such tipping points are clearly achievable over the course of the next century given our present warming trajectory, he said.
After speaking with hundreds of academics, we came to the conclusion that actual, tangible data was a crucial component that was lacking from our knowledge.
