Geoengineering is being defined as SRM and CCS. Would afforestation of deserts also be Geoengineering?
Diana Bronson mentions in another post - 'Gates funding of geoengineering research' "The real advance was the process to extract nitrogen gas from the air and turn it into the nitrogen compounds that plants can use." Nitrogen is stable as a gas and dissolves in water. Providing it as a solid fertilizer in powder / granule form was a revolutionary development. Would any other invention that provides other inputs required by plants and trees in a new form qualify as a geoengineering solution. Plants and trees also require water and micro nutrients. If forests are to be grown in deserts, all inputs required have to be provided - Water, Nutrients, Micro nutrients, etc. Nutrients / Fertilizers are manufactured in factories and have been available for about 100 years - Urea, Phosphate and Potash. Is there any scope for improvement in water pumping technology to pump water in closed pipes, 100s of Kms into the middle of deserts? Traditional open irrigation canals would result in huge evaporation losses so pipes would be necessary. Are the pumps currently being used suited for this type of pumping? Traditional pumps are perhaps more suited to 'lift' water to great heights (Vertical pumping) and not to pump large quantity over long distances (Horizontal pumping). Would desalination technology be a geoengineering solution? Solar, Wind and Wave energy is available on sea shores. Can these be used to desalinate large quantities of water and then pump this inland into deserts? Plants and trees require micro nutrients. What is the best source of micro nutrients? Would advances in technology for provision of micro nutrients be comparable to the advances in Nitrogen and Phosphorus fertilizers? best regards Bhaskar www.kadambari.net -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to geoengineer...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to geoengineering+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en.
