Symposium on Aerosols in Geoengineering; Portland, Oregon; October 26-30, 2010

University Of California-San Diego Scripps Inst Of Oceanography, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

This grant supports a symposium on the potential use of aerosols for geoengineering. Geoengineering refers to deliberate modification of the earth system to counteract the warming effect of greenhouse gas increases, and this symposium will consider the prospects, risks, and uncertainties associated with schemes in which aerosols are injected into the atmosphere (typically the stratosphere) to cool the planet by reflecting sunlight back to space. The symposium will take place as part of the annual meeting of the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR, held October 25-29 2010), and has four goals: 1) to strengthen connections between the two communities, 2) to evaluate scientific uncertainties that affect the use of aerosols for geoengineering, 3) to expose aerosol researchers to current geoengineering research, and 4) to generate feedback for geoengineering researchers on aerosol processes. A chief concern to be addressed by the symposium is that proper geoengineering decision making requires a complete understanding of the risks and benefits associated with each geoengineering scheme. Thus, it is important for aerosol experts to be active in improving the overall understanding of geoengineering. The AAAR annual meeting is an ideal venue for exposing aerosol experts to current geoengineering proposals The intellectual merit of the workshop lies in furthering understanding of aerosol-climate interactions,while the broader impacts include 1) addressing an issue of critical societal importance, 2) fostering collaboration between two scientific communities, 3) enhancing the participation of women in science, and 4) supporting early-career scientists.