Diamond dust injection could help combat global warming Researchers say

Research suggests that injecting five million tons of diamond dust annually into the stratosphere could lower the Earth's temperature by 1.6 degrees, potentially mitigating global warming.

This idea stems from historical instances where volcanic eruptions cooled the planet by releasing smoke and particles that obscured sunlight, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Scientists believe that diamond dust could reflect solar radiation and reduce heat absorption. This exploration is part of a broader investigation into controversial geoengineering methods aimed at countering climate change, including oceanic iron dumping and deploying mirrors in space.

One notable approach is "stratospheric aerosol injection," which mimics the cooling effect of volcanic winters by spraying aerosols into the atmosphere to diminish solar radiation. Historical eruptions, like Mount Pinatubo in 1991, demonstrated this effect by releasing sulfur dioxide, which formed sulfate aerosols that reflected sunlight and led to a significant temperature drop.

However, attempts to use sulfur dioxide for this purpose have raised concerns about potential side effects, such as acid rain and ozone layer damage. To find safer alternatives, climate scientist Sandro Vattioni and his team at ETH Zurich investigated several compounds, including calcite, diamond, and aluminium. They developed a 3D climate model to analyze the atmospheric behaviour of these particles over a 45-year period.

The results showed that diamond dust is particularly effective at reflecting sunlight and remains suspended in the atmosphere longer without clumping. Unlike sulfur, diamonds do not create conditions that lead to acid rain. Vattioni emphasized that to achieve a significant cooling effect, five million tons of diamond dust would need to be injected yearly.

Despite its potential, the cost of this method is staggering, estimated at around $200 trillion by 2100 — 2,400 times more expensive than using sulfur dioxide, which many researchers still consider a more feasible option. The findings are detailed in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

By Tamilla Hasanova