Weather Experts: 'We Cannot Control Hurricanes'
2024-10-12
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1A series of powerful hurricanes have affected millions of people in the United States in recent weeks.
2Some people are wondering if scientists could control extreme weather events.
3However, experts say hurricanes are far too powerful for humans to control.
4Climate change is leading to increasingly powerful storms.
5This has led to greater attention on the possibilities of geoengineering.
6Geoengineering involves futuristic ideas for reversing or lessening climate change.
7But many scientists have serious concerns about unwanted results.
8Hurricanes are an example of the uncontrollable, disordered power of Earth's weather.
9Experts say there is no clear evidence from research to show humans might be able to control such strong storms.
10Kristen Corbosiero is a professor of atmospheric and environmental sciences at the University at Albany.
11Corbosiero is a weather expert, or meteorologist.
12She said: "If meteorologists could stop hurricanes, we would stop hurricanes.
13If we could control the weather, we would not want the kind of death and destruction that's happened."
14National Hurricane Center tropical analysis chief Chris Landsea said that a fully developed hurricane releases heat energy that is the equal to a 10-megaton nuclear bomb every 20 minutes.
15That is more than all the energy used at a given time by human beings.
16Chris Field is director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment in California.
17He said scientists are learning of the many ways that climate change is making hurricanes more powerful and destructive.
18Warmer oceans add energy and more water to the warming atmosphere.
19That water becomes strong rainfall.
20Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbac said the amount of energy a hurricane generates is much more than humans have the power to control.
21But people have still made attempts to control the storms.
22Jim Fleming is a professor at Colby College in Maine.
23He has studied historical efforts to control the weather.
24He said humans do not even come close to having the practical technology to successfully control the weather.
25Fleming described one attempt in 1947.
26The General Electric company partnered with the U.S. military to drop dry ice from Air Force planes into the path of a hurricane to try to weaken it. It did not work.
27Some attempts or ideas could even make the storms worse or cause greater harm.
28One especially dangerous idea was to use a nuclear bomb, which would cause radiation and not be strong enough to change the storm, Kristen Corbosiero said.
29Bringing cooling icebergs or adding chemicals to cause rain also are ideas that do not work, scientists say.
30Modern geoengineers would operate differently.
31Today's geoengineers are thinking about how to reverse the damage humans have already caused.
32Scientists in the field say one of the most promising ideas they see based on computer models is solar geoengineering.
33The method would involve lifting small particles into the upper atmosphere to return some of the sunlight back into space, cooling the planet a little.
34Still, supporters of the idea know that it comes with risks.
35Two years ago, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) announced it was forming an ethics agreement for climate intervention.
36The AGU is the largest society of scientists who study climate issues.
37I'm Jill Robbins.
1A series of powerful hurricanes have affected millions of people in the United States in recent weeks. 2Some people are wondering if scientists could control extreme weather events. However, experts say hurricanes are far too powerful for humans to control. 3Climate change is leading to increasingly powerful storms. This has led to greater attention on the possibilities of geoengineering. 4Geoengineering involves futuristic ideas for reversing or lessening climate change. But many scientists have serious concerns about unwanted results. 5Hurricanes are an example of the uncontrollable, disordered power of Earth's weather. Experts say there is no clear evidence from research to show humans might be able to control such strong storms. 6Kristen Corbosiero is a professor of atmospheric and environmental sciences at the University at Albany. Corbosiero is a weather expert, or meteorologist. She said: "If meteorologists could stop hurricanes, we would stop hurricanes. If we could control the weather, we would not want the kind of death and destruction that's happened." 7Weather experts' opinions on controlling hurricanes 8National Hurricane Center tropical analysis chief Chris Landsea said that a fully developed hurricane releases heat energy that is the equal to a 10-megaton nuclear bomb every 20 minutes. That is more than all the energy used at a given time by human beings. 9Chris Field is director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment in California. He said scientists are learning of the many ways that climate change is making hurricanes more powerful and destructive. Warmer oceans add energy and more water to the warming atmosphere. That water becomes strong rainfall. 10Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbac said the amount of energy a hurricane generates is much more than humans have the power to control. But people have still made attempts to control the storms. 11Historical efforts to control hurricanes 12Jim Fleming is a professor at Colby College in Maine. He has studied historical efforts to control the weather. He said humans do not even come close to having the practical technology to successfully control the weather. 13Fleming described one attempt in 1947. The General Electric company partnered with the U.S. military to drop dry ice from Air Force planes into the path of a hurricane to try to weaken it. It did not work. 14Some attempts or ideas could even make the storms worse or cause greater harm. One especially dangerous idea was to use a nuclear bomb, which would cause radiation and not be strong enough to change the storm, Kristen Corbosiero said. 15Bringing cooling icebergs or adding chemicals to cause rain also are ideas that do not work, scientists say. 16Engineering the climate 17Modern geoengineers would operate differently. Today's geoengineers are thinking about how to reverse the damage humans have already caused. 18Scientists in the field say one of the most promising ideas they see based on computer models is solar geoengineering. The method would involve lifting small particles into the upper atmosphere to return some of the sunlight back into space, cooling the planet a little. Still, supporters of the idea know that it comes with risks. 19Two years ago, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) announced it was forming an ethics agreement for climate intervention. The AGU is the largest society of scientists who study climate issues. 20I'm Jill Robbins. 21Melina Walling and Seth Borenstein reported this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. 22______________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24geoengineering - n. large-scale manipulation of a specific process central to controlling Earth's climate for the purpose of obtaining a specific benefit 25reverse - v. to change (something) to an opposite state or condition 26analysis - n. a careful study of something to learn about its parts, what they do, and how they are related to each othe 27iceberg - n. a very large piece of ice floating in the ocean 28solar - n. of or relating to the sun 29ethics - n. n area of study that deals with ideas about what is good and bad behavior 30What do you think of this story? Write to us in the Comments Section.