Abstract
The high albedos and zenith angles in the Arctic cause mixed-phase
clouds to warm the Arctic surface during most of the year by absorbing
long wavelength (LW) terrestrial radiation and re-emitting LW radiation
back to the surface. Most of the LW radiation is absorbed by
super-cooled liquid droplets near the top of the cloud. These clouds may
be glaciated by seeding with ice crystals, allowing most of the LW
radiation to escape into space and thereby cooling the Arctic surface.
This study proposes cooling the Arctic by seeding Arctic mixed-phase
clouds during the fall, winter, and spring with 200 nm diameter ice
crystals sprayed into the clouds by effervescent nozzles deployed on
aircraft.