Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injections

Most research of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) for solar radiation modification has focused on injection of SO _2 . However, the resulting sulfuric acid aerosols lead to considerable absorption of terrestrial infrared radiation, resulting in stratospheric warming and reduced cooling efficien...

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Main Authors: Fabrice Stefanetti, Sandro Vattioni, John A Dykema, Gabriel Chiodo, Jan Sedlacek, Frank N Keutsch, Timofei Sukhodolov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2024-01-01
Series:Environmental Research: Climate
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad9f93
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author Fabrice Stefanetti
Sandro Vattioni
John A Dykema
Gabriel Chiodo
Jan Sedlacek
Frank N Keutsch
Timofei Sukhodolov
author_facet Fabrice Stefanetti
Sandro Vattioni
John A Dykema
Gabriel Chiodo
Jan Sedlacek
Frank N Keutsch
Timofei Sukhodolov
author_sort Fabrice Stefanetti
collection DOAJ
description Most research of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) for solar radiation modification has focused on injection of SO _2 . However, the resulting sulfuric acid aerosols lead to considerable absorption of terrestrial infrared radiation, resulting in stratospheric warming and reduced cooling efficiency. Recent research suggests that solid particles, such as alumina, calcite or diamond, could minimize these side effects. Here we use, for the first time, the atmosphere–ocean–aerosol–chemistry–climate model SOCOLv4.0, incorporating a solid particle scheme, to assess the climatic impacts of SAI by these injection materials. For each substance, we model tropical SAI by means of constant yearly injection of solid particles, aimed to offset the warming induced by a high-GHG emission scenario over the 2020–2100 period by 1 K. We show that solid particles are more effective than sulfur at minimising stratospheric heating, and the resulting side-effects on the general atmospheric circulation, stratospheric moistening, and tropopause height change. As a result, solid particles also induce less residual warming over the arctic, resulting in greater reduction of GHG-induced polar amplification compared to sulfuric acid aerosols. Among the materials studied here, diamond is most efficient in reducing global warming per unit injection, while also minimizing side effects.
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spelling doaj-art-ce298bf5a5d540a5ae377d77e623d4942025-08-20T02:00:38ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research: Climate2752-52952024-01-013404502810.1088/2752-5295/ad9f93Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injectionsFabrice Stefanetti0https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2809-4635Sandro Vattioni1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4099-3903John A Dykema2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7611-6163Gabriel Chiodo3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8079-6314Jan Sedlacek4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6742-9130Frank N Keutsch5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1442-6200Timofei Sukhodolov6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7100-738XInstitute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich , Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich , Zurich, SwitzerlandJohn A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA, United States of AmericaInstitute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich , Zurich, Switzerland; Instituto de Geociencias (IGEO), CSIC-UCM , Madrid, SpainPhysikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos and World Radiation Center , Davos, SwitzerlandJohn A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA, United States of America; Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA, United States of America; Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University , Cambridge, MA, United States of AmericaPhysikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos and World Radiation Center , Davos, SwitzerlandMost research of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) for solar radiation modification has focused on injection of SO _2 . However, the resulting sulfuric acid aerosols lead to considerable absorption of terrestrial infrared radiation, resulting in stratospheric warming and reduced cooling efficiency. Recent research suggests that solid particles, such as alumina, calcite or diamond, could minimize these side effects. Here we use, for the first time, the atmosphere–ocean–aerosol–chemistry–climate model SOCOLv4.0, incorporating a solid particle scheme, to assess the climatic impacts of SAI by these injection materials. For each substance, we model tropical SAI by means of constant yearly injection of solid particles, aimed to offset the warming induced by a high-GHG emission scenario over the 2020–2100 period by 1 K. We show that solid particles are more effective than sulfur at minimising stratospheric heating, and the resulting side-effects on the general atmospheric circulation, stratospheric moistening, and tropopause height change. As a result, solid particles also induce less residual warming over the arctic, resulting in greater reduction of GHG-induced polar amplification compared to sulfuric acid aerosols. Among the materials studied here, diamond is most efficient in reducing global warming per unit injection, while also minimizing side effects.https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad9f93solar radiation modificationsolid particlesstratospheric aerosol injectionlarge-scale circulationsurface temperatureprecipitation
spellingShingle Fabrice Stefanetti
Sandro Vattioni
John A Dykema
Gabriel Chiodo
Jan Sedlacek
Frank N Keutsch
Timofei Sukhodolov
Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injections
Environmental Research: Climate
solar radiation modification
solid particles
stratospheric aerosol injection
large-scale circulation
surface temperature
precipitation
title Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injections
title_full Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injections
title_fullStr Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injections
title_full_unstemmed Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injections
title_short Stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to SO2 injections
title_sort stratospheric injection of solid particles reduces side effects on circulation and climate compared to so2 injections
topic solar radiation modification
solid particles
stratospheric aerosol injection
large-scale circulation
surface temperature
precipitation
url https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad9f93
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