Premium
Impact of geo‐engineering on the ion composition of the stratosphere
Author(s) -
Beig Gufran
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl033186
Subject(s) - stratosphere , ion , atmospheric sciences , perturbation (astronomy) , sulfuric acid , environmental science , ionic bonding , aerosol , physics , chemical physics , meteorology , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , astronomy , quantum mechanics
A remedy called “geo‐engineering solution” has been recently proposed by some scientists to handle the global warming problem through injection of sulfates high aloft into the stratosphere. However, this idea may have some other side impacts. We have investigated the perturbation caused by geo‐engineering solution on the stratospheric charged species using a coupled neutral‐ion photochemical model. Model calculations indicate additional production of sulfuric acid immediately after the injection which further leads to increased abundance of heavy negative ion family by several orders of magnitude over the ambient. After 2 months, most of the H 2 SO 4 vapor condensed to H 2 SO 4 aerosols and the density of charged aerosol increases several folds and the effect spread further in the tropics. The perturbation in ionic species spread globally after about 1 year but became weaker in magnitude. The ion perturbation has implications on the electrical properties of the atmospheric medium.