Energy management strategies for mitigating Arctic amplification using a solar chimney

The phenomenon in which the rate of surface air temperature increase in the Arctic region exceeds the global mean temperature rise is known as Arctic amplification. This phenomenon accelerates the retreat of sea ice and snow cover as well as permafrost thawing, which in turn leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions from Arctic permafrost. Arctic amplification is primarily driven by local energy imbalances, dominated by the combined effects of surface albedo and lapse rate feedbacks. This paper reviews four conventional solar radiation modification (SRM) measures proposed in the literature to counteract polar warming, and outlines their associated environmental risks. Compared to conventional SRM techniques, a new energy management strategy with lower environmental risks is proposed to mitigate Arctic amplification: a spray ice-enhancing system utilizing the chimney effect of a solar chimney. This localized system can potentially increase sea ice coverage and thickness, and transport the heat released from seawater across the temperature inversion layer to the upper atmosphere, thereby weakening the positive surface albedo and lapse rate feedbacks in the Arctic. Numerical simulations are performed to analyze the heat and mass transfer characteristics within the system. The key operational challenges of deploying such a system in the Arctic and corresponding feasible solutions are discussed. A preliminary scheme for implementing an experimental prototype is also presented.
Keywords