Case Smit reminds me of this story from AGU that seemed so ridiculous at the time, that I laughed and forgot about it.
Getting ships to generate smaller bubbles as they sail across the oceans could counteract the impact of climate change, a study suggests.
Scientists from University of Leeds, UK, say this would create a brighter wake behind a vessel and reflect more sunlight back into space.
However, it could also increase rainfall in some areas.
Microscopic bubbles generated by shipping could lower global temperatures by 0.5 F says a study presented at the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco. according to scientist from the University of Leeds, UK. And possibly reduce fuel costs by being more “streamlined”.
…
As ships sail across the waves, the white froth they create in their wake stands out from the dark ocean waters.
But the team behind this study said that if the bubbles in the froth were smaller in size, the watery trail would be even brighter.
More importantly, it would also stick around for much longer: the bubbles could last for up to 24 hours, compared with an average lifetime of a few minutes for ordinary bubbles.
This would have the effect of reflecting and refracting sunlight off the surface of the ocean, said Prof Forster.
The team found that making bubbles 10 to 100 times smaller than their current size – to about 1 micron (one millionth of a metre) – had the greatest impact. And that this could be done by fitting aerosol technology to the backs of ships.
Julia Crook, also from Leeds, explained: “The technology required for other forms of solar radiation management is a long way off being ready, whereas micro-bubble generators already exist.
“The Japanese are already experimenting with micro-bubbles under ships’ hulls to make them more streamlined and more fuel-efficient.
“This could have a double benefit.”
…
The team used a computer model to calculate what would happen if 32,000 large ships – the current estimate of large vessels on the high seas – produced tinier bubbles.
“If we were to successfully put these generators on to these ships, and the ships just went about their normal business, we did find there was potential to reduce the surface temperature by about 0.5C,” Prof Forster said.
However, while this would somewhat counteract the effect of climate change, the team found it would also increase precipitation in some areas.
And there are some concerns about unforeseen consequences on ocean ecosystems, although the team thinks that the scheme probably would not affect ocean productivity – how carbon is moved around the ocean.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30543252
Figure out a way to make this benefit the ship owners. If the bubble-machine can be shown to make the ship more efficient and burn less fuel per voyage, shipping companies will line up to install these machines on new ships and to refit older ships as they come in. Trucking companies already have hardware on their tractors and trailers that help direct airflow and save them money, IF it can be demonstrated that bubbles help ships cost less to operate the idea will sell.
Otherwise, it’s a “Green Pipe Dream” and will die of its own weight when it can’t be shown to be of any real benefit.
Reply to mjms… ==> Apparently, that’s what they have been working on….injecting tiny bubbles under the hull at the bow “coating” the hull bottom is what this bit means: “The Japanese are already experimenting with micro-bubbles under ships’ hulls to make them more streamlined and more fuel-efficient.”.
It is a lot like the tractor trailer trucks adding wind panels under the trailers, curved tops on the cabs, etc…ten percent fuel savings here, ten percent there.
…ten percent fuel savings here, ten percent there.
========
Yup, then the fuel tanks overflow 🙂
A typical catch-22.
It would likely be found that those tiny bubbles increase the rate of CO2 mixing with sea water leading to greater calls to control acidification of the oceans.
Can we get carbon credits for going to the beach?
Great idea! Let’s also have the climatologists ride around on their bicycles wearing foil hats. Think of the albedo…
Excellent suggestion, but I doubt if it’s necessary in the case of Michael Mann, James Hansen, or Gavin Schmidt.
You are mistaking Ego for head size 🙂
Where is Mr mann anyone seen him. What happened to this court case?
This idea from the AGU doesn’t impress me. And it doesn’t seem to impress anyone. Not surprising as it has been selected from the AGU as a comical mis-step.
Fine, I like a laugh.
But what was the best presentation from the AGU?
I think the way they presented the free beer was probably good.
Whales may also play a big role. If only their “poo-namus” could be micro-bubblized:
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/how-whales-geoengineer-the-oceans-for-us
Tiny thought bubble.
Doesn’t the US Navy have a system to emit bubbles around the hull to mask a ship from passive sonar?
maybe I’m confusing reality with a Tom Clancy novel.
Is it a “confusion” or just an understanding that Clancy knew a lot more than he was supposed to? 😉
I’m not sure, but be assured that the NSA now has you on their radar 🙂
It’s called Prarie-Masker. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prairie-Masker
Thank you neilszoo. I did read about this in a Tom Clancy novel, but I see he at least did some research. In any case, it would seem we already have a population of vessels fitted with a system that could serve to gather some real empirical (as opposed to CGI green screen modelled) data on just how much difference there is in the wake of a bubbly ship vs. a plain, ordinary non-bubbly ship.
Too bad. I was looking forward to a grant to study ship wake albedo in Caribbean cruise ships.
No, killer whales do. When a pod hears the savage violent outburst from a Navy sonar, they blow bubbles and swim away keeping the bubbles between themselves and the amplifier. No dummies, those killer whales…
Well I would think the bubble generator would make much more acoustic noise, for a passive sonar to detect, and I think you meant active sonar, which bubbles might interfere with. The bubble idea is essentially to put an “anti reflection” coating on the steel hull, which would likely want to have a acoustic refractive index, that is intermediate between water and steel.
During WWII US subs were equipped with system that would emit a wall of bubbles that would in theory confuse active enemy sonar. Not sure it was very effective. I was aboard one of the last diesel subs for exercises off of Hawaii in 1962. No such system was used or mentioned. Submariners do not want to waste the precious compressed air to make bubbles. The want it to be instantly available for purging the water ballast tanks to surface quickly if needed.
mjmsprt40 said, “Otherwise, it’s a “Green Pipe Dream” and will die of its own weight when it can’t be shown to be of any real benefit.”
Yes, like wind, solar and waves. Precedent would seem to indicate that the Green lobby simply doubles down when it becomes obvious their schemes are useless.
Seawater is obviously not part of The Team. Seawater needs to recalibrate its density, viscosity ( kinematic and static) and other fluid properties so as to be part of Team Gaia. As for ships – pah. Obviously they should be banned and operators sent for re-education and the planet destroying, shipbuilding industries shut down.
Ursus Augustus
December 28, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Hey – not tooo toooo quick with that – I’ve still a few years to retirement . . .
Mods – UA doesn’t need a /SARC tag for the ending of global trade in energy, fuels, foods – and consumer goods. Mule trains do not compare with ships at getting goodies from China into the decadent West . . . .
Auto
I wonder do they feel ‘shame’?
Hitler, Stalin felt no shame. They were self-appointed messiahs who thought their causes were noble. Does that answer your question?
Perhaps it`s time to stop farting around and smother the oceans with white polystyrene beads………
Gone would be hurricanes,monsoons and the like and soon we would be able to drive the SUV across those icy plains – it`s a must do!!!
I think the tiny bubbles affect is similar to a child thinking he can make the ocean larger by bringing glasses of tap water from his beach cottage to the ocean. Technically the child is making the ocean larger at that moment, but imperceptibly so, obviously without significance. It is good thing that children can create rich fantasy play.
In terms of childish play, maybe these researchers can calculate the sea level rise from the 32,000 ships or better yet calculate sea level rise based on how many people go swimming at the same time.
Now you are just being mean…
…(and funny).
Great idea! Ships should add some dish detergent to the wake to make it last even longer.
What a load of codswallop … we have been doing this with racing yachts for years but it has nothing to do with “streamlined”, micro bubbles won’t do that, only the hull design will. What micro bubbles will do is break the skin tension bond between the water and the hull surface. We don’t use mechanical bubbles, but rely on the ‘skin friction’ to cause micro bubbles to form a layer between the hull and the water.
Just off the top of my muddled head.
Has anyone asked the dolphins about this ?
Seems like they might know a thing or two.
We actually got our idea from shark skin back in the early 70’s … 😉
Gentlemen and ladies…… Before we get too carried away with the math, analogies, possible improvements, and other disclosure, could we please get some funding in place (government preferred, maybe crowd sourcing… maybe both?). I think we could set up a small group of investors, milk this for at least a couple months in study, get a half dozen or so peer reviewed published articles, get some IP in place, get into a lecture circuit, and issue a few shares amongst ourselves, and float this to market via an IPO by year end, or 1st quarter 2016 latest, and then retire. Who’s on board?
Do we get a theme song? 🙂
Ah Ha! Gottcha Yea. I knew I would. Happy Holy Days from Iceland (ah ah cough cough uh yh oh yea)
They should have installed it on “The Ship Of Fools”, they might not have got stuck.
“…the team thinks…”
So they paid several people to model this?
It really is enough to make you ashamed to be British. Well done Leeds. You have sunk to a new low that matches UEA and its subsidiary of the creative writing department they label climate science.
Do these tiny man-made bubbles on the Earth’s surface reflect sunlight directly into the space? Without it getting stuck somewhere in between with a positive feedback and all? Brits often have a great way of bringing things forward and University of Leeds seems no exception.
Too much bubbly over the festive period?
I do my bit to help green the earth by releasing as much CO2 from bottles as I can without causing my brain to shrink..
“Scientists from Leeds” appear to have never seen or heard of waves, especially wind swept waves.
Didn’t there use to be places to house people like this to keep them out of our misery?
A college & grad school buddy of mine with a distinguished chair at a prominent engineering university got a grant to study painting roofs white to make up for lost Arctic sea ice albedo.