Here's a good idea

[ucrzymofo87]

Here's a good idea:

Swiss authorities are planning to wrap mountain glaciers with tin foil this summer in an effort to stop them melting.

Carlo Danioth, head of mountain rescue services in Andermatt, said: "We will initially cover around 30,000 square feet on the upper Gurschen glacier at the beginning of May as a test."

Scientists hope that the high-tech foil will prevent the sun's rays from melting the ice in popular ski resorts during the summer months.

Glacier expert Martin Funk said: "The foil reflects almost all the sun's rays. That will sharply reduce the rate of melting."

And other resorts like Saas-Fee and Titlis and some Austrian glaciers have said that they plan to test similar schemes this summer.

Environmental groups have criticised the £45,000 plan at Andermatt as "absurd".

Raimund Rosewald, head of a landscape protection foundation, said: "We cannot stop the glaciers melting using foil."

source

[Ellen]

The whiteness of the glaciers reflect sunlight by themselves.
It's a stupid idea.

[Loeviz]

Yeah I don´t think that´ll work at all. They might as well try and make a huge balloon that blocks the sunlight

[Buzkashi]

Put Chuck Norris's picture on the glacier and it will with no doubt scare the sun rays away.

[Loeviz]

Yeah Chuck Norris can fix it for sure

[Killfile]

Don't be so quick to judge them. Remember that, while both white and mirrored surfaces reflect MOST of the suns energy, a mirrored surface reflects MORE.

Scattering of light and the absorbtion of random wavelengths in random directions makes something LOOK white. That's why powdered glass appears white but is clear or reflective before it's crushed down into powder.

Even a small decrease in the total wattage per square inch equals out to MASSIVE energy reductions when multiplied by the huge surface area they're talking about here.

Remember - it isn't as if a bunch of burnt out hippies who live in the trees suggested this. These people have PhDs, they deserve at least a little credibility. Unless I've got hard evidence to point to that says "that guy's a nut" I'm going to have to side with the people who are paid to know what they're talking about. While yards of aluminium foil sounds like a crack-pot scheme, someone smarter than I am thinks it will work - so who am I to judge?

[Ruuppa]

Nevertheless, to us non-PhD's, it sounds dumb as hell.

Why not wrap the North Pole or Antarctis in the same stuff to delay the inevitable flooding of the world? Nope. These guys are more worried about tourism.

[Killfile]

Why not wrap the North Pole or Antarctis in the same stuff to delay the inevitable flooding of the world? Nope. These guys are more worried about tourism.

Because an insignificant amount of thermal energy is delivered to those regions of the world via sunlight - which is why they are cold year round. Warming air world wide impacts them far more than direct sunlight. These are regions of the world where it is night for MONTHS out of the year.

The Swiss do not live in a region of the world with a night measured in weeks. Sunlight, particulary in the summer, throws a lot of energy into the ice and can melt it significantly.

[Skullkracker]

I sense a significant disturbance in your use of the word significance

but alas, the idea does sound funny
where on Earth are they going to get that much tin foil?

[Loeviz]

I was also yhinking on where they will get all the foil from.
And is the making off that much Tin foil good for the enviroment?

[ucrzymofo87]

First of all, we should not take Phds entirely on their word. They may have degrees, but degrees do not mean much when they do not understand reality or they just make up data.

Here is a good example of that

To attempt such an idea is not only ludicrous, it could also damage the environment if the project goes wrong. Imagine thousands of feet of foil sliding down a mountain. That cannot be very helpful to the environment either way.

[arke]

And a good example of what happens when doctors do something right can be see by looking out the window (at least in the city).

Should note this is on a glacier, which aren't exactly known for their speedy movement. Also, you should've checked other sources, as it appears they've already done something similar, but with white sheet instead (can search for pictures) last summer. Lastly, it's not "tin foil" but instead a special foil that I would guess is closer to mylar.

[calvin]

well whatever it is, if it is as reflective as they say, don't look at it during the day without some serious sunglasses.

also, if it does work and they do this world wide to prevent the snow caps/glaciers from melting, that might cause additional temperature rises. purely hypothetical but the melting ice and snow keeps the surrounding air cooler for longer. if that snow is prevented from melting and absorbing the heat from the air, temperatures might go up. the simple fact that the light will be reflected back into the sky will also heat the air.

[Killfile]

I think there's a little misunderstanding of the purpose of these contraptions. They're not designed to stop global warming or prevent the polar ice caps from melting.

They're designed to keep the glaicers from melting in the summer so the skiing stays good in the winter.

While there may be an environmental impact locally - I don't think the ski resorts give a crap... as long as they can sell lift tickets come November.

Final analysis: this will probably make the glaicers melt less. It won't reduce to total amount of energy absorbed by earth (measurably). It won't scale to prevent the melting of the ice caps. It's expensive, extravigant, and more than a little bit excentric -- but the Alpine Ski industry makes a HUGE amount of money and is accountable to some very boring rich people.

If they're going to do this - it's because they know it will work. Too bad I won't be able to make it to Europe this summer - those are some great photographs waiting to be taken.

[calvin]

yeah, i knew why they would be doing it. i was just saying if it is successful and other resorts start using it also. but even if all the ski resorts in the world did this, it probably wouldn't have any affect... who knows

[evilester_me]

Here's a good idea:

Glacier expert Martin Funk said: "The foil reflects almost all the sun's rays. That will sharply reduce the rate of melting."

source

yet seriously blind the entire population...or just make them ridiculously sunburned