Solution for global warming control and experimental laboratory validation

• Main Authors: ROSSI, Federico, COTANA, Franco
• Other Authors: Rossi, Federico, Cotana, Franco
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics 2007
• Subjects: albedo; reflection; surface; prototype; White Island
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11391/161745

Greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide) have rapidly increased over the last century mainly because of massive usage of fossil fuel for energy production; a direct consequence is the increase of average low atmosphere temperature. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) 4th assessment report predicts that continued greenhouse gas emissions (current rate) would cause at the end of the 21st century a globallyaverage surface warming between 1,8 and 4°C. The only meaningful greenhouse gases reduction attempt is represented by Kyoto Protocol; the emissions reduction fixed by such protocol is however not enough to solve global warming problem. Furthermore, most effective solutions for carbon dioxide capture like chemical absorption processes or physical solvent processes are still too expensive and hard to be realized. An innovative simple proposal for global warming control is here presented which is based on Earth surface albedo enhancing by means of laying reflecting surfaces. The proposal includes an original relation (patent n. PG 2006 A 0086) between reflecting surfaces extension and corresponding average temperature decrease; furthermore a ratio between greenhouse gases emission, in terms of equivalent carbon dioxide, and reflecting surfaces extension is also introduced. Many solutions for realizing reflecting white surfaces are also proposed: roof painting, road and low value areas whitening, floating white island and artificial salt lakes, etc. .Furthermore, personal behavior and practices may also help to enhance Earth albedo: usage of white umbrella, white cloths, etc. This paper deals with an theoretical and experimental validation of the proposed method. A mathematical model has been proposed and verified by a lab prototype; model and experimental results validate the proposed patented method.