Glacier albedo increase

Ice sheets and glaciers

It has recently been suggested that hollow glass microspheres (HGM, see also see sea ice albedo increase) could be used to increase the albedo of mountain glaciers and thereby slow their melt.

The non-profit organization Bright Ice Initiative (https://brighticeinitiative.org/) is currently exploring this idea in collaboration with several other US and Indian organizations like the Healthy Climate Initiative (https://healthyclimateinitiative.org/) and Climformatics (https://climformatics.com/).

Technological Readiness Level (TRL)

Medium 2

This measure faces similar issues as sea ice albedo enhancement does: the material already exists, but there remain large uncertainties around effectiveness, material behavior, and environmental issues. While the application of HGM on sea ice has been the subject of several studies, there has been no peer reviewed publications of its usage on high mountain glaciers yet. In collaboration with scientists from IIT Indore a field experiment is scheduled to start on the Chhota Shigri Glacier in North India in the summer of 2023 (Project Himalayas Brochure, 2023).

Technological Readiness Level (TRL)

A technology with a TRL of 4-6: TRL 4 – validated in lab; TRL 5 – validated in relevant environment; TRL 6 – demonstrated in relevant environment

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Scalability

Low 1

This measure would only serve to reduce the melting of specific glaciers on land, and is likely most effective on relatively flat surface areas (Project Himalayas Brochure, 2023). If HGM is found to work, there could be possible scaling advantages in the production process that reduce costs.

Scalability

Physically unable to scale; sub-linear/logarithmic efficiency of scalability

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Timeliness for near-future effects

Medium 2

The suggested material already exists, but there is no certainty if this measure would actually work.

Timeliness for near-future effects

Implemented in time to make some difference, although questionable

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Northern + Arctic potential

Low 1

Apart from the issues that also face the application of HGM on sea ice, the vast expanse of the Arctic and Northern regions would likely make widespread operationalization difficult.

Northern + Arctic potential

No noticeable extra positive effect beyond the global average; technology is unsuited to the Arctic

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Global potential

Low 1

It would mainly concern targeted interventions with limited global effects.

Global potential

Insignificant to be detected at a global scale

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Cost - benefit

Prohibitive 1

There are no current estimates of the price of deployment, although the figures for the application of HGM on sea ice indicate high costs. To this, it must be added that the proposed surface area to be treated is far smaller than what Arctic Ice Project envisions for the Arctic sea ice, and that the potential sites of distribution would be many smaller surfaces instead of a single large area, which probably would come with increased costs.

Cost - benefit

Cost of investment comparable to cost of avoided damage

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Environmental risks

Some risk 2

There have been no studies on environmental risks. In a recent unpublished manuscript on the behavior of various HGM’s in the Arctic, Farkas et al (2023) found that some variants in their experiment leached in seawater overtime. Since mountain glaciers are generally of great importance to ecosystems and human drinking water (Cauvy-Fraunié and Dangles, 2019), this would be an essential element to investigate further.

Environmental risks

More widespread and possibly regional impacts that extend beyond the immediate solution deployment location

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Community impacts

Unknown 0

Some of the sites on which this technique would be deployed might be of particular importance to local communities. For instance because of religious or financial reasons, or, especially in the context of Asian high mountain ranges, because it is a source of drinking water. The protection of such a glacier could therefore be important to such a community. However, it has to be made sure that the HGMs are environmentally safe and do not pose a risk to human health.

Ease of reversibility

Easy 3

This measure would likely stop when the HGM are washed away or buried, although they would potentially need to be cleaned up if suddenly found undesirable.

Ease of reversibility

Easily reversible naturally

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Risk of termination shock

Low risk 3

Risk of termination shock

Low or insignificant termination shock or damage

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Legality/governance

Challenging 2

Legality/governance

Fits within existing structures to a certain degree, but some policy changes are needed to deploy at scale

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Scientific/media attention

Medium 2

The promoters of this idea have been quite vocal, and even organized an online benefit concert to raise awareness and gain sponsors for their idea. So far the idea seems not to have been picked up in scientific circles. A recent article in The New Yorker likely provided it great public exposure (Riederer, 2023).

Scientific/media attention

Some attention within the scientific community, including published research and funding programmes; some media attention; some commercial interest

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References

Cauvy-Fraunié, S., & Dangles, O. (2019). A global synthesis of biodiversity responses to glacier retreat. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 3(12), 1675-1685. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-1042-8

Farkas, J., Molid, M., Hansen, B. H., Nordam, T., Nordtug, T., & Throne-Holst, M. Characterization of Hollow Glass Microspheres with Potential for Regional Climate Intervention to Preserve Arctic Sea Ice. Available at SSRN 4377493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2023.103967

Project Himalayas. 2023. Saving the Himalayan glaciers: a field trial to slow the melting of glacial ice. Brochure.

Riederer, Rachel (April 25, 2023). A Heat Shield for the Most Important Ice on Earth. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-control-of-nature/a-heat-shield-for-the-most-important-ice-on-earth

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