Can reflective sand stave off melting?
A new project plans to sprinkle sand on Arctic sea ice — to try to stop it from melting and to combat global warming.
The project, called Ice911, aims to spread sand, or silica, over 19,000 square miles of ice. The pilot project is targeting areas such as Fram Strait between Greenland and Svalbard, a Norwegian island.
"The ice in the Arctic isn't going to come back by itself," said Leslie Field, the project's founder. "And we don't have much time left."
According to NASA, sea ice is disappearing by about 13 percent a decade — a rate not seen in 1,500 years.
The purpose of the sand is to reflect 90 percent of sunlight. That would seek to prevent ocean water from warming, which in turn would slow the melting of ice.
Field has been testing various materials in laboratories and lakes. Though it is cheaper than other options, covering 19,000 square miles of ice is projected to cost $750 million, excluding labor costs. There has been talk about the United Nations, World Bank or private donors funding the project (Oliver Milman, London Guardian, April 23). — KB
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Climate and Climate Action,
Ecology
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