Effect On Climate Of Bombs Under Ice-Cap

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31097, 28 June 1966, Page 24

Effect On Climate Of Bombs Under Ice-Cap

(Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, June 27. Twenty-five one-megaton Hbombs, evenly spaced and exploded on April 1 beneath the Arctic ice-cap, might trigger major climatic changes or even a new ice age, according to the science correspondent of “The Observer.” This was one of several possibilities for major manipulation of the earth’s climate discussed in a detailed study, sponsored by the United States Air Force, and prepared at the R.A.N.D. Corporation, California, by Mr J. O. Fletcher. “The bombs would inundate large areas of ice with water. The resulting lakes and puddles would absorb far more heat from the sun than white ice, and would spread. “Detonating the bombs on April 1 would allow the thaw to continue through the whole Arctic summer. In one month the watery surface might absorb 32,000 times more energy from the sun than was released by the bombs,” the newspaper says. The newspaper quotes Mr Fletcher as saying that largescale climatic intervention, either deliberate or inadvertent, seems probable during our life-time. The question is: “can we unravel the complicated inter-action of cause and effect soon enough to avoid costly mistakes?” Some inadvertent climatic intervention may already be in progress, due to the release in huge quantities of carbon dioxide from burning oil and coal. This was probably warming the atmosphere

by trapping more solar heat. And in years to come, rocket exhausts and supersonic airliners might affect subtle chemical and heat balances in the upper atmosphere. The most costly mistake would be to set off a new ice age. No-one knew what set off past ice ages, but quite small changes might be sufficient to tip the balance.