Cirrus cloud thinning (CCT) is a proposed form of climate engineering. Cirrus clouds are high cold ice that, like other clouds, both reflect sunlight and absorb warming infrared radiation. However, they differ from other types of clouds in that, on average, infrared absorption outweighs sunlight reflection, resulting in a net warming effect on the climate.[1] Therefore, thinning or removing these clouds would reduce their heat trapping capacity, resulting in a cooling effect on Earth's climate. This could be a potential tool to reduce anthropogenic global warming.[2] Cirrus cloud thinning is an alternative category of climate engineering, in addition to solar radiation management and greenhouse gas removal.
In 2021 the IPCC described CCT as a proposal "to reduce the amount of cirrus clouds by injecting ice nucleating substances in the upper troposphere." However it reported low confidence in the cooling effect of CCT, due to limited understanding of cirrus microphysics, its interaction with aerosols, and the complexity of seeding strategy. CCT may also increase global precipitation.[3]
^Lee, Joonsuk; Yang, Ping; Dessler, Andrew E.; Gao, Bo-Cai; Platnick, Steven (December 2009). "Distribution and Radiative Forcing of Tropical Thin Cirrus Clouds". Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences. 66 (12): 3721–3731. Bibcode:2009JAtS...66.3721L. doi:10.1175/2009JAS3183.1. S2CID 120050286.
^Mitchell, David L.; Finnegan, William (2009). "Modification of cirrus clouds to reduce global warming". Environmental Research Letters. 4 (4): 045102. Bibcode:2009ERL.....4d5102M. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/4/4/045102.
^"IPCC Sixth Assessment Report Working Group 1". 2021-08-09. p. 4-89. Archived 2021-08-11 at the Wayback Machine
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Cirruscloudthinning (CCT) is a proposed form of climate engineering. Cirrusclouds are high cold ice that, like other clouds, both reflect sunlight and...
Cirruscloudthinning has been proposed as a possible geoengineering approach to reduce climate damage due to carbon dioxide. Cirruscloudthinning would...
Cirrus uncinus is a type of cirruscloud. The name cirrus uncinus is derived from Latin, meaning "curly hooks". Also known as mares' tails, these clouds...
the Earth's surface to deflect solar radiation back into space Cirruscloudthinning (CCT), which is strictly not SRM but shares many of characteristics...
The list of cloud types groups all cloud genera as high (cirro-, cirrus), middle (alto-), multi-level (nimbo-, cumulo-, cumulus), and low (strato-, stratus)...
the three main genus types of high-altitude tropospheric clouds, the other two being cirrus and cirrostratus. They usually occur at an altitude of 5 to...
cirrus which are designated cirrus homogenitus. If a cirrus homogenitus cloud changes fully to any of the high-level genera, they are termed cirrus,...
Cirrus spissatus or also called Cirrus densus and Cirrus nothus clouds are the highest of the main cloud genera, and may sometimes even occur in the lower...
water or nitric acid. Cirrostratus clouds sometimes signal the approach of a warm front if they form after cirrus and spread from one area across the...
altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular, and cirrusclouds. They sometimes appear as bands parallel to the edge of the clouds. Iridescence is also seen in the much...
anvil clouds and also severe thunderstorms. They often extend from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud, but may also be found under altostratus, and cirrus clouds...
spread to be several miles wide, eventually resembling natural cirrus or altocumulus clouds. Persistent contrails are of particular interest to scientists...
animal Cirrus (botany), a tendril Infrared cirrus, in astronomy, filamentary structures seen in infrared light Cirruscloud, a type of cloudCirrus aero...
it can become a cumulonimbus capillatus. Cumulonimbus capillatus: cloud with cirrus-like, fibrous-edged top. Cumulonimbus calvus A clearly developed cumulonimbus...
in high altitude clouds such as cirrus. Thicker clouds have a higher albedo than thinner ones. In fact thick clouds and thinclouds will occasionally...
Altostratus clouds are the only cloud genus besides cirrusclouds to exhibit a net global heating effect on Earth and its atmosphere; however, cirrus have a...
considered a "beautiful natural phenomenon". Noctilucent clouds may be confused with cirrusclouds, but appear sharper under magnification. Those caused...
distribution. For instance, thinning high-altitude clouds tend to have a net warming effect, while thick, low-altitude clouds generally have a cooling effect...
is highly unstable, cumulonimbus clouds producing thunderstorms commonly form along the front. Anvil cirrusclouds may spread a considerable distance...
half the sky) cloud layer with its base at 2,200 ft (670 m) above ground level (AGL). The lowest "BKN" or "OVC" layer specifies the cloud ceiling. OVC050...
tail. Clouds obscure the view of other objects in the sky, though varying thicknesses of cloud cover have differing effects. A very thincirruscloud in...
high-level and therefore constitute a single cloud genus cirrus. Stratiform and stratocumuliform clouds in the high level of the troposphere have the prefix...
Project Cirrus. While at Munitalp Schaefer also worked on developing a mobile atmospheric research laboratory and time-lapse films of clouds. Schaefer...
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