Is generating a nuclear winter a possible solution to global warming?

Question

Some gases can blot out part of the sun's radiation.

Answer 1

A nuclear winter per se isn't a good idea - not least because it involves the detonation of a significant number of nuclear devices.

If there were to be a sizeable nuclear exchange then the climate would be adversely affected and a nuclear winter would follow. The particulate matter resulting from the exchange wouldn't be suspended in the atmosphere for all that long and would soon be dissipated out. The effects of the greenhouse gas emissions are much longer lasting and they’d continue to keep warming the planet long after the effects of a nuclear exchange had worn off.

There is a similar idea being considered which is to block out some solar radiation by forming a layer of sulphur dioxide in either the stratosphere or exosphere. This would be mimicking the effect of a volcano, when volcanoes erupt they emit huge quantities of SO2 which has a reflective property and reflects sunlight back into space.

It’s been suggested that sulphur laden rockets could deliver the sulphur high into the atmosphere of that the Navy could launch ‘sulphur missiles’ from warships.

There are other schemes looking at ways to reduce the amount of sunlight we receive including the construction of gigantic solar mirrors to reflect sunlight into space, the formation of marine stratocumulus clouds to block out sunlight or the construction of a huge solar sunshade at the L1 point (where gravity from the Sun and Earth cancel each other out). The sunshade wouldn’t block out sunlight but would deflect it ever so slightly, just enough to miss Earth.

Answer 2

Problems with this "solution:"

A nuclear winter effect depends on hundreds of nuclear explosions targeting population centers and starting massive fires (which pump more CO2 into the air).

Even if you are willing to accept the loss of life, destruction of property and radioactive contamination, this "solution" would not solve global warming in the long-term because it fails to address the cause of global warming: the level of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Once the (radioactive) dust, ash and other paticulate matter is washed out of the upper atmosphere by rain and snow, the planet continues its warming trend.

Answer 3

yeah...that's a wonderful idea, because nuclear winter would be so much healthier than the sun's rays.

what?

Answer 4

Yeah we can start this winter right over Iran.

Answer 5

Sure. Since But itwouldn't matter to us, because humanity would be extinct.