Aircraft for Dispersal of Calcite Plumes for Heat Mitigation

Abstract

Aircraft are evaluated as an alternative to towers for distribution of calcite particle plumes.  Airplanes and airships are compared.  The proposed plumes will block solar radiation and offset warming from global climate change regionally.  Using aircraft is much more cost-effective than towers because the capital costs are much lower.  One airport needs to be constructed for a small fleet of aircraft versus many tall towers and many sets of redundant equipment.  The operational costs are higher.  Even though labor costs are lower for airplane operation, the energy costs are higher than for towers.  It is less efficient to transport calcite into the air with airplanes than with permanent towers.  Airships are more efficient at transporting payload and therefore use approximately the same energy as permanent towers.  Using aircraft has other advantages, such as getting the material higher into the air so that it has less effect on the health of people in the region.  Also, there is less impact on ecology and scenic values when towers are removed from the conservation area.