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Oct. 18: Physics and Astronomy Seminar Series
Peter Snyder to address: "Can Geoengineering our Climate Save the Planet?"
Minnesota State University, Mankato Media Relations Office, 10-15-2012
Peter Snyder, an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota's Department of Soil, Water and Climate, will address climate change in a campus lecture on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 4 p.m. in Trafton C123.
Snyder's lecture, titled "Can Geoengineering our Climate Save the Planet?", is sponsored by the Clint Crosby/Lockheed Martin Physics and Astronomy Seminar Series.
Because of the size of the room in which it will take place, the lecture is limited to the first 60 guests.
Those interested in more information should contact Russell Palma, seminar coordinator, by phone at 507-389-6204 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Following is an abstract of Snyder's lecture:
Whether it is the near-record warmth across much of the United States this year, the dramatic loss of summertime Arctic sea ice, or the persistent drought affecting two-thirds of the continental US, there is renewed attention about what can be done to ameliorate potentially catastrophic climate change. Geoengineering our climate to offset global warming is frequently mentioned as a practical “quick fix” solution and has received popular support from politicians and celebrities alike. Solar Radiation Management (SRM) and CO2 Management (COM) are two such engineering approaches that offer the potential for offsetting the bulk of planetary warming, however, these technologies are largely untested, the economic costs associated with their implementation are uncertain, and a growing body of research suggests that some of these approaches might in fact result in unintended environmental consequences. A discussion of the current state of climate geoengineering approaches, potential pitfalls associated with their implementation, environmental consequences, and possible alternative options will be presented.