Patent · US Expired

Stratospheric Welsbach seeding for reduction of global warming

US5003186A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
2References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 23, 1990
Grant dateMar 26, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 23, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA01G15/00
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method is described for reducing atmospheric or global warming resulting from the presence of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, i.e., from the greenhouse effect. Such gases are relatively transparent to sunshine, but absorb strongly the long-wavelength infrared radiation released by the earth. The method incudes the step of seeding the layer of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere with particles of materials characterized by wavelength-dependent emissivity. Such materials include Welsbach materials and the oxides of metals which have high emissivity (and thus low reflectivities) in the visible and 8-12 micron infrared wavelength regions.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.