Artificial volcano' experiment

 

A bizarre "artificial volcano" experiment taking place at a disused Norfolk airfield next month could help save the planet from global warming. Scientists will attempt to pump water up a hose suspended one kilometre off the ground beneath a helium-filled balloon. The test will provide valuable data that could pave the way to a giant geoengineering project in decades to come. The long-term vision is to tether 20 kilometre-long pipes to balloons the size of Wembley stadium. Light-scattering particles would be pumped high into the atmosphere to reflect the sun's rays and cool the earth. The effect would be similar to that of a volcanic eruption spewing out clouds of sulphate droplets which can have an impact on the climate. Dr Matt Watson, from the University of Bristol, who is leading the Spice (Stratospheric Particle Injection for Climate Engineering) project, said: "This is a controversial and potentially alarming subject. "We're going to try to pump tap water to a height of one kilometre through a pipe as a test of the technology." The test will take place on a disused airfield at Sculthorpe, north Norfolk, using a dirigible "blimp" balloon of the type commonly used to carry adverts or take photos. Dr Hugh Hunt, from Cambridge University, who will head the Sculthorpe test, said: "To pump water to one kilometre you need a pressure of 100 bar. When we start thinking about 20 kilometres we're talking about 4,000 bar of pressure."

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