Presenter(s): Conrad Sproul − Political Science, Economics
Faculty Mentor(s): Dave Sutherland
Poster 186
Research Area: Natural Science
Geoengineering, or artificially modifying climate conditions, is the cutting edge of environmental science research. A range of techniques have been suggested, including the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere, increasing Earth’s average albedo through solar radiation management (SRM) technologies, and the construction of large structures to halt or alter
the path of flowing glaciers. However, these technologies are almost always examined in terms of their effects on the global climate, with only limited investigation of how smaller scale geoengineering could be used in specific, important areas. Here we examine several different potential geoengineering methods and their potential efficacy at abating mass loss from the Pine Island Glacier (PIG) in Western Antarctica. We show that due to the basal conditions of PIG, atmospheric and surface level SRM are unlikely to be effective at preventing further ablation and destabilization of the glacier. More promising would be some combination of basal freezing/pumping to reduce flow rate, artificial structures to increase stability, and a medium scale pumping operation to redirect remaining meltwater to inland Antarctica. As the single biggest contributor to Antarctic sea level rise, and an area at high risk for destabilization in the coming decades, it is crucial that research be done now on the Pine Island Glacier to determine what can be done to slow its ongoing mass loss. These results provide specific direction for more elaborate modelling and investigation to be done on these projects in the future.