A controversial experiment has aroused global fears. California researchers have planned a test to reduce sunlight

A group of researchers from California drew attention last year with an experiment on a retired aircraft carrier, where they wanted to test a machine for creating clouds.

However, the team planned a much larger and potentially more risky study: a millions of dollars that involved equipment that could spray salt water to reduce sunlight, aiming to form clouds above an ocean segment than Puerto Rico.

Researchers are trying to reduce sunlight to combat global warming/photo: Archive

Details extracted from the applications for financing, emails, text messages and other documents obtained by Politico are lighting new questions about a secret initiative supported by a billionaire, who coordinated the Geoinginere Solar Experiment from San Francisco last year. These documents also offer a rare look at the major research intended to find solutions to combat global warming, works that usually take place away from the public's eyes.

These researches are increasingly pursued as efforts to address the main cause of climatic changes – the burning of fossil fuels – encounter difficulties in the United States and Europe. However, the idea of manipulating the climate has generated a strong political reaction and has fueled conspiracy theories, adding additional challenges to conduct even small -scale tests.

Last year's experiment, led by the University of Washington, and which had to last a few months, was stopped just 20 minutes from the beginning, after Alameda officials protested, stressing that they were not informed about it.

A start test for a much larger project

Initially, the test was thought only as a preliminary stage. Before starting to start, the researchers were already discussing donors and consultants about performing a cloud creation test on an area of 6,276 square kilometers, off the coast of North America, Chile or Central Africa. Details extracted from over 400 internal documents, obtained by E & E News by an open documents request for Washington University, shows that this test was performed following a pilot test on Alameda.

“At these dimensions, significant changes in clouds will be easily detected from space“It is shown in a research plan in 2023, within the program for the improvement of the sea clouds. The huge experiment would have depended on the success of the abandoned test on the Alameda aircraft carrier.

Prior to the failure of Alameda, the team had received federal funding and hoped to obtain access to ships and government aircraft for the large experiment, the documents show.

A controversial, but necessary project?

Researchers and their partners, including a lobbying group for solar geoinginery research called Silverlining and the non -profit SRI International scientific organization, did not answer detailed questions about the larger experiment. However, Kelly Wanser, the executive director of Silverlining, said in an e-mail that the improvement program of the marine clouds was to “complete the information emptings” to determine if the technologies are safe and efficient.

In the initial experiment, the researchers ignored previous lessons on the importance of supporting the community for studies involving climate change. They chose to keep the plans hidden by the public and legislation until the tests were already in progress, some experts in solar geoinginery say. They also said they were surprised by the magnitude of the second experiment.

“Alameda was only one step forward for something much bigger, without any consultation with local communities ”said Sikina Jinnah, professor of environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “It is a serious mistake.”

In their response, Washington University officials have minimized the size of the proposed experiment and its potential impact on climatic changes, focusing more on the purpose of the program to prove that the tools for creating clouds can function under real conditions. They also rejected the accusations of secretomania, mentioning that the team members previously revealed the possibility of tests in open oceans in scientific works.

Increasing regulations and political controversies

Solar Geoingineria comprises a set of hypothetical technologies to reduce global warming by reflection of solar light, technologies that are largely unregulated at the federal level. The two most researched approaches are the release of sulphate particles in the stratosphere or the spraying of salt water aerosols above the oceans.

Critics of these technologies warn that they could disrupt climatic models and affect harvest, faunistic and even people. Even if they managed to cool the climate, temperatures could rise suddenly if the processes are stopped before the countries make the transition from fossil fuels, a phenomenon known as “termination shock”.

In this context, even research on this topic are controversial, and conspiracy theories, fueled by weather tragedies, have worsened negative reactions.

Behind closed doors

The documents show that the team of researchers was in contact with Noaa officials and with the Accenture consulting firm to prepare the large test at sea – just before the small test starts on the USS Hornet. They hoped to achieve access to ships and government aircraft for the sea experiment.

After the Alameda test was stopped, the team acknowledged that the federal resources were now harder to obtain. Federal support has become even more distant with the re -election of Donald Trump, an opponent of federal measures to limit global warming.

Future challenges and plans

Despite the controversy, the researchers continue to receive support from some billionaire donors such as Chris Larsen (the founder of a cryptocurrency exchange) and Rachel Pritzker. However, solar geoinginery projects remain at the center of a vast conflict of interest and public concerns about transparency and safety.

Some researchers believe that, in the face of threatening climate change, solar geoinginery technologies should be tested in well -designed experiments, such as Alameda. However, it is obvious that the lack of transparency and consultation of the public and local authorities was not a wise choice.

Throughout this process, the question remains: how can the need for research and risks involved, without endangering the public confidence and the stability of global climate policies?