Clark
(Meteorologist)
Sun Apr 02 2006 09:29 PM
Re: Not really hurricane modification

Rapid temperature changes are quite damaging to an ecosystem, moreso than slow changes that may or may not be brought upon by global warming effects. Temperature gradients can also enhance energy transfer, such as those found along the edge of the Gulf of Mexico loop current. How significant the cooling would be is quite uncertain.

Simply put, there's nothing to suggest the reward is greater than the gain. Field experiments are not the way to go to try to prove the viability of such an endeavour. Modeling studies need to be done and no one within the field is really interested in doing so; we don't understand enough about hurricanes to even think about modifying them, as we already learned with Project Stormfury in the 1960s, and the potential ramifications of impacting a storm's track by modifying its structure are likely to cause repercussions. Storm tracks are heavily influenced by intensity; if you weaken a storm, you also make it much more likely to impact a different area -- or even just hit land -- than another region.

It's just not a viable option, IMO.



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