Published on: March 1, 2023

Solar radiation modification

Solar radiation modification


Why in news? IISc gets grants to study impact of solar radiation modification as proposed intervention to climate change.


Highlights

  • IISc scientists have been selected to receive a research grant from the Degrees Modelling Fund (DMF), that supports scientists in developing countries and emerging economies to explore proposal to reflect sunlight from the earth could reduce the regional impact of climate change
  • The IISc team will use climate models to examine SRM might affect the summer monsoon rainfall in tropical regions, especially over India compared to the impact of rising temperatures.

What is Solar radiation modification?

  • Solar Radiation Modification (SRM), also known as solar geoengineering or climate intervention, is a proposal for reducing some of the risks of global warming.
  • If implemented, it might involve spraying tiny particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect some sunlight back out into space and reduce the impact of climate change.
  • It is not a substitute for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but would act as a temporary measure to limit warming while emissions of greenhouse gases are reduced and carbon dioxide is removed.
  • The most studied methods of SRM are stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening
  • Proposed methods of solar geoengineering may be atmospheric, terrestrial, or space-based.
  • This technique will not directly reduce carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere, and thus does not address ocean acidification or air pollution caused by high levels of atmospheric CO2.