来自英国牛津、剑桥、布里斯托以及爱丁堡等四所大学的科学家目前正在进行一项改变气候工程,计划将一个巨型氦气球投放在空中,通过软管向其输送化学粒子,希望这些粒子可以将太阳光反射回太空从而达到为地球降温的效果。据介绍,这项工程的原理与火山喷发后,火山灰上升入大气层形成制冷效果类似。科学家们表示,如果将十个这样的气球投放在空中,每年向它们输送1000万吨化学粒子的话,那么两年内全球气温就有可能下降2摄氏度。下个月,科学家们将率先将一个62英尺(约19米)的气球投放在距离地面0.5英里(约805米)的空中,然后向其输送小水滴,以检测该项技术是否可行。如果该工程获得批准,科学家们将会制作一个温布利球场那么大的气球,将其投放在海面上空。 Floating 12 miles above our heads, this Wembley Stadium-sized helium balloon tethered to a ship may one day help save the planet from global warming. British scientists are investigating whether an ordinary hosepipe can be used to shoot particles into the atmosphere – like an erupting volcano – and cool down Earth. A prototype balloon has been built and will be hoisted into the air next month from a disused airfield in Norfolk in a £200,000 experiment. The idea is that millions of tiny chemical particles will act as a mirror and reflect the Sun’s rays to stop the planet heating up. |