Giant space shield plan to save planet

[glugglug]

Originally posted by: Ultima
I don't understand why you guys think that this will alter earth's orbit. The sunlight would be hitting the earth anyways if not the metal plates so isn't the net force the same? The part of it that worries me is the climate change... scientists trying to play god with the world. What if they miscalculate? How are they going to get all those metal bits up there anyways?

When the light hits the Earth, most of it is absorbed. The momentum of the light that gets transfered to Earth per photon is hf/c.

When the metal plates reflect the light they reverse its direction, so the change in momentum is 2hf/c.

 

[Spencer278]

Originally posted by: FrodoB

Originally posted by: Spencer278

Originally posted by: Orsorum
These scientists are operating on the premise (I think) that this climate change is caused by human activity. Most of the recent studies have concluded that the net effect on global climate warming due to human activity is actually slightly negative, and that most of the change is part of the natural process of climate fluctuation. The aerosol present in the Earth's atmosphere may have an effect, but that is not presently known.

So, either they figure out that most of the climate change is being forced by aerosol, and take these steps, or the climate change is natural (as well as the extinction of species), and they'll end up screwing the planet.

Cheers!
Nate

Edit: "slightly"

No they are operating on the premise is that current global temperature is the best so we should try and maintian the temperature.

That is an idiotic statement. We should NEVER try to maintain the global temperature because it is in constant natural change.

I'm sure people said the same about rivers before they where dammed. Sure some people whinned about it but for the most part we are better off. The only problem with if we should try and maintain the global temperature is who gets to decided. Russia and Canada might want the temperature higher but the US would want it to stay the same.

 

[Ultima]

Maybe they should paint the plates black then.. heh.

 

[Ultima]

anyone care to calculate how much reflecting 1% of sunlight will alter the force on earth and therefore it's orbit?

 

[zephyrprime]

"When the light hits the Earth, most of it is absorbed. The momentum of the light that gets transfered to Earth per photon is hf/c.

When the metal plates reflect the light they reverse its direction, so the change in momentum is 2hf/c."

That's true but all the radiation that's absorbed is ultimated emmitted back out again. But it's emmitted out the front and back which partially cancels each other out. More is emmitted out the front but how much more?

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

Does anyone else get visions of highlander 2's "shield" with this plan?