mao20n4 Unies States Pater: 5000196 USPTO PATENT FULL-TEXT AND IMAGE DATABASE (orl) United States Patent 5,003,186 Chang, etal. March 26, 1991 Stratospheric Welsbach seeding for reduction of global warming Abstract A method is described for reducing atmospheric or global warming resulting from the presence of heat- trapping gases in the atmosphere, ic., ftom the greenhouse effect. Such gases are relatively transparent to sunshine, but absorb strongly the long-wavelength inffared radiation released by the earth. The method. incuctes the step of seeding the layer of heat- trapping gases in the atmosphere with particles of materials characterized by wavelength-dependent emissivity. Such materials include Welsbach materials and the oxides of metals which have high emissivity (and thus low reflectivities) in the visible and 8-12 micron inffared wavelength regions, Inventors: Chang; David B, (Tustin, CA), Shih; I-Fu (Los Alamitos, CA) Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Los Angeles, CA) Family ID: 24042064 Appl. No.: 07/513,145 Filed: April 23, 1990 ‘Current U.S. Class: 250/505.1 ; 244/158.1; 250/503.1; 250/504R Current CPC Class: AO1G 15/00 (20130101) Current International Class: AOIG 15/00 (20060101); G21K 001/00 () Field of Search: 3250/505.1,54R,503.1,493.1 ;244/136,158R. References Cited [Referenced By! U.S, Patent Documents 3222675 December 1965 Schwartz 4355673 July 1988 Pollack et al. Primary Examiner: Berman; Jack I. Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sales; Michael W. Denson-Low: Wanda tpsoat.vspto.goenetacs ph Parser?Sectt=PTO18Seci=HITOFF4d=PALLEP= 16ur%2F netattmI%62FPTO%2Fsrehnumbimae=18I=GAI=S0BST=S,.. IBmao20n4 Unies States Pater: 5000196 Claims What is claimed is: 1. A method of reducing atmospheric warming due to the greenhouse efiect resulting ftom a layer of gases in the atmosphere which absorb strongly near inffared wavelength radiation, comprising the step of dispersing tiny particles of'a material within the gases' layer, the particle material characterized by wavelength-dependent emissivity or reflectivity, in that said material has high emissivities with respect to radiation in the visible and far inffared wavelength spectra, and low emissivity in the near inffared wavelength spectrum, whereby said tiny particles provide a means for converting infrared heat energy into far infrared radiation which is radiated into space. 2. The method of claim wherein said material comprises one or more of the oxides of metals. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said material comprises aluminum oxide. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said material comprises thorium oxide. 5. The method of claim | wherein said particles are dispersed by seeding the stratosphere with a quantity of said particles at aliudes in the range of seven to thirteen kilometers above the earth's surface. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the size of said particles is in the range of ten to one hundred microns. 7. The method of claim wherein said material comprises a refractory material, 8. The method of claim | wherein said material is a Welsbach material. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of said dispersed particles per unit area in the particle layer is greater than or equal to L/.sigmn..sub.abs 1, where 1 is the thickness of the particle ayer and .sigma..sub.abs is the absorption coefficient of the particles at the far inftared wavelengths. 10. A method for reducing atmospheric warming due to the greenhouse effect resulting froma greenhouse gases layer, comprising the following step: seeding the greenhouse gases’ layer with a quantity of tiny particles of a material characterized by wavelength- dependent emissivity or reflectivity, in that said materials have high emissivities in the visible and far inftared wavelength spectra and low emissivity in the near inflared wavelength spectrum, whereby said particles are suspended within said gases’ layer and provide a means for converting radiative energy at near inftared wavelengths into radiation at the far inftared wavekengths, permitting some of the converted radiation to escape into space. 11. The method of chim 10 wherein said material comprises one or more of the oxides of metals 12. The method of claim 10 wherein said material comprises aluminum oxide. 13. The method of clim 10 wherein said material is thorium oxide. tpsoat.vspto.goenetacs ph Parser?Sectt=PTO18Seci=HITOFF4d=PALLEP= 16ur%2F netattmI%62FPTO%2Fsrehnumbimae=18I=G8I=S0BS TS... 26mao20n4 Unies States Pater: 5000196 14, The method of chim 10 wherein said seeding is performed at altitudes in the range of seven to thirteen kilometers above the earth's surface. 15. The method of claim 10 wherein said material comprises a refractory material. 16. The method of claim 10 wherein said particle size is in range of ten to one hundred microns. 17. The method of claim 10 wherein said material is a Welsbach material. 18. The method of claim 10 wherein the number of said dispersed particles per unit area in the particle layer is greater than or equal to 1/.sigma..sub.abs 1, where | is the thickness of the particle layer and sigma. sub.abs is the absorption coefficient of the particles at the far infrared wavelengths. Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method for the reduction of global warming resulting from the greerhouse effect, and in particular to a method which involves the seeding of the earth's stratosphere with Welsbach-like tmaterials. Global warming has been a great concen of many environmental scientists. Scientists believe that the greenhouse effect is responsible for global warming. Greatly increased amounts of heat-trapping gases have been generated since the Industrial Revolution, These gases, such as CO.sub.2, CFC, and methane, accumulate in the atmosphere and allow sunlight to stream in freely but block heat from escaping (greenhouse effect). These gases are relatively transparent to sunshine but absorb strongly the long-wavelength inffared radiation released by the earth, Most current approaches to reduce global warming are to restrict the release of various greenhouse gases, such as CO.sub.2, CFC, and methane. These imply the need to establish new regulations and the need to monitor various gases and to enforce the regulations, One proposed solution to the problem of global warming involves the seeding of the atmosphere with metallic particles. One technique proposed (o seed the metallic particles was to add the tiny particks to the fuel offjet airliners, so that the particles would be emitted from the jet engine exhaust while the airliner was at its cruising altitude. While this method would increase the reflection of visible light incident from space, the metallic particles would trap the long wavelength blackbody radiation released ffom the earth. This could result in net increase in global warming, Itis therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for reduction of global warming due to the greenhouse effect which permits heat to escape through the atmosphere, SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ‘A method is disclosed for reducing atmospheric warming due to the greenhouse effect resuiking froma greenhouse gases layer. The method comprises the step of seeding the greenhouse gas layer with a quantity ‘itpitfoatf.uspto. gownetacg Unph- Parser ?Sect1=PT O18Sect2=HITOFF d= PALLE&p= 16u="62F netantmi942F PT O%2F srchnumihimar= 18f= G&l= 508s 1=!zao204 Unted Sao Pato 08166 of tiny particles of materials characterized by wavelength-dependent emissivity or reflectivity, in that said ‘materials have high emissivities in the visible and fir infrared wavelength regions and low emissivity in the near infrared wavelengti region. Such materials can include the class of materials known as Welsbach materials. The oxides of metal, e.g., aluminum oxide, are also suitable for the purpose. The greenhouse gases layer typically extends between about seven and thirteen kilometers above the earth's surface. The seeding of the stratosphere occurs within this layer. The particles suspended in the stratosphere as a result of the seeding provide a mechanism for converting the blackbody radiation emitted by the earth at near inftared wavelengths ‘into radiation in the visible and far infrared wavelength so that this heat energy may be reradiated out into space, thereby reducing the global warming due to the greenhouse efit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ‘These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, as ilustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whieh FIG, | illustrates a model for the heat trapping phenomenon, ic., the greenhouse effect. FIG, 2 is a graph illustrating the intensity of sunlight incident on earth and of the earth's blackbody radiation as a finction of wavelength. FIG, 3 is a graph illustrating an ideal emissivity versus wavelength fimction for the desired particle material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG, 1 shows a model for the heat-trapping (greenhouse effect) phenomenon. It is assumed that the greenhouse gases are concentrated at altitudes between y=0 (at some altitude Y.sub.1, above the earth's surfice) and y=I. Regardless of the sunshine reflected back into space, isub.1 and isub.2 denote the shortwavelength sunlight energies that are absorbed by the earth's surface and the greenhouse gases, respectively. Available data shows that isub.1 =0.45 isub.sol and isub.2 =0.25 isub.sol, where isub.sol is the total flux ftom the sun, The short wavelength sunlight heats up the greenhouse gases and the earth surface, and this energy is eventually reradiated out in the long wavelength inftared region. FIG, 2 isa graph illustrating the intensity of suntight and the earth's blackbody radiation as a fimetion of wavelength, As illustrated, some 30% of the sunlight energy is in the near infrared region, The earth's blackbody radiation, on the other hand, is at the far infared wavelength. Referring again to FIG. 1, Lsub.s, Lsub.*, L.sub.-, I.sub.g and L.sub.e represent the fluxes in the inffared wavelength region, where [.sub.s and I.sub.g.are the fluxes reradiated by the greenhouse gases toward the sky and ground, respectively; L.sub.c is the flux reradiated by the earth; and I.sub.+ and I.sub.~ are fluxes within the gases radiating toward the space and ground, respectively, L.sub.+ and I.sub,~ are functions of y, e.g, Lsub.+ (0) is the Lsub.+ flux at y=0. Considering the principles of energy conservation and continuity at boundaries, the following relationships are obtained: where R.sub.o, R.sub.land R are the reflectivities at the y-0 and y=1 boundaries and at the earth’s surface. Lsub.BB (T.sub.e) i the blackbody radiation flux at the earth's temperature T.sub.e. Within the greenhouse gases’ layer, the energy equations are where L.sub.BB (T.sub.g) is the blackbody radiation flux at the greenhouse gases’ temperature T.sub.p, and ‘tpi foatf.uspto. gownetacg Unph- Parser ?Sect1=PT O18Sect2=HITOFF &d= PALLE&p= 1éu="2F netahtm'%2F PT O%2F srehnuminimar= 18F=G&I=S08S1=5,... 416.azz Unies States Pater: 5000196 alpha, isthe absorption coefficient of the gases. The solutions of equations 8 and 9 are given by equations 10 and 11: To illustrate the effects of R.sub.o and R.sub.| on the green-house effect, the extreme case is considered wherein a high concentration of greenhouse gases has strong absorption in the infrared region; that is, for y=1, .sup.-.alpha.l approaches 0, Then, using Equations 3 and 4, the relationships of Equations 12 and 13 are obtained From Equations 5 and 7, or From Equations 2 and 1, or Combining Equations 14 and 15, the relationship of Equation 16 is obtained. Finally, Equation 6 gives the blackbody radiation from the earth's surface in terms of isub.1 and isub.2 and the three reflectivities: or ‘To achieve a lower temperature of the earth, (considering isub. 1, isub.2 and Ras constants), itis desirable to make R and R.sub,]as smallas possible. ‘Known refiactory materials have a thermal emissivity flunction which is strongly wavelength dependent. For example, the materials may have high emissivity (and absorption) at the far infrared wavelengths, high emissivity in the visible wavelength range, and very low emissivity at intermediate wavelengths. Ifa material having those emissivity characteristics and a black body are exposed to IR energy of equal intensity, the selective thermal radiator will emit visible radiation with higher efficiency (if radiation cooling predominates), ice., the selective thermal radiator will appear brighter than the black body. This effect is known as the Webbach effect and is extensively used in commercial gas lantern mantles. Wekbach materiak have the characteristic of wavelength-dependent emissivity (or reflectivity). For example, thorium oxide (ThO.sub.2) has high emissivities in the visible and far IR regions but it has low emissivity in the near IR region. So, in accordance with the invention, the ayer of greenhouse gases is seeded with Welsbach or Wekbach-like materials which have high emissivities (and thus low reflectivities) in the visible and 8-12 micrometer inftared regions, which has the effect of reducing R.sub.o and R.sub.1 while introducing no effect in the visible range. ‘A desired material for the stratospheric seeding has a reflection coefficient close to unity for near IR radiation, and a reflection coefficient close to zero (or emissity close to unity) for fir TR radiation. FIG. 3 is a graph ilastrating an ideal emissivity versus wavelength function for the desired material. Another class of materials having the desited property includes the oxides of metals. For example, aluminum oxide (ALsub.2 O.sub.3) is one metal oxide suitable for the purpose and which is relatively inexpensive. Itis presently believed that particle sizes in the ten to one hundred micron range woulkl be suitable for the seeding purposes. Larger particles would tend to settle to the earth more quickly. ‘tpi tfoatft.uspto. gownetacg Unph- Parser ?Sect1=PT O18Sect2=HITOFF &d= PALLE&p= 1éu="2F netahtm'%2F PT O%2F srehnum.nimar= 18F=G&I=S08S1=5,... 516.mao20n4 Unies States Pater: 5000196 ‘The particles in the required size range can be obtained with conventional methods of grinding and meshing. tis believed that the number of particles n,sub.d per unit area in the particle layer should be defined by Equation 18: where 1 is the thickness of the particle layer and sigma. sub.abs is the absorption coefiicient of the particles at the long IR wavelengths. One crude estimate of the density of particles is given by Equation (19): where ¢ is the speed of light, mis the average particle mass, ¢ is the electron charge, and w is the absorption line width in sec.sup.-I. ‘The greenhouse gases are typically in the earth's stratosphere at an akitude of seven to thirteen kilometers. ‘This suggests that the particle seeding should be done at an altitude on the order of 10 kilometers. The particles may be seeded by dispersal from seeding aircraft; one exemplary technique may be via the jet fel as suggested by prior work regarding the metallic particles. Once the tiny particles have been dispersed into the atmosphere, the particles may remain in suspension for up to one year. It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the possible specific embodiments which may represent principles of the present invention. Other arrangements may readily be devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. sete tpoatt upto. goenetacg mph Parser?Sectt=PTO 18Sec2=HITOF Fc PALLEP= 1u=%42F ntahtni%s2F PT O%k2Ferchnumimir=18f=Gl= 508s =United States Patent 19) (1) Patent Number: 5,003,186 Chang et al. [45] Date of Patent: Mar. 26, 1991 [54] STRATOSPHERIC WELSBACH SEEDING Primary Examiner—Iack 1. Berman 3] 13 Ruy 3 {51) 132] sa] ba zea) FOR REDUCTION OF GLOBAL WARMING Inventors: David B, Chang, Tustin; Fu Shib, Los Alamitos, both of Calif ‘Assignee: Hughes Aireraft Company, Los ‘Angeles, Calif. Appl. Nos 513,168 Filed: In. US.a. ‘Ape. 23, 1990 aK 1/00 ""380/808.1; 250/504 R; 250/303. 1; 244/158 R 1250/505.1, $04 R, $03.1, 250/493.1; 244/136, 158 R References Cited U.S, PATENT DOCUMENTS: Fleld of Search Attorney, Agent, or Firm Michael W, Sales; Wanda Denson-Low 1 ABSTRACT ‘A method is described for reducing atmospheric or global warming resulting from the presence of heat- trapping gases in the atmosphere, Le, from the green- house effect. Such gases are relatively transparent 10 sunshine, but absorb strongly the long.wavelength in- fared radiation released by the earth The method incu- des the step of seeding the layer of heat-irapping gases in the atmosphere with particles of materials character ied by wavelength-dependent emissivity. Such materi als include Welsbach materials and the oxides of metals which have high emissivity (and thus low reflectivities) in the visible and 8-12 micron infrared wavelength regions 3R618 12/1965 Schwartz ayia AG8603 tees Ponce a I asvane 18 Claims, 2 Drawing Shets SUV'S RADIATION AADIATION. 2 FROM EBRT A>} \ VISIBLE 2, NEAR Te OMSheet 1 of 2 5,003,186 Mar. 26, 1991 U.S. Patent (Zeer | 2 WLIeT y 7 4 " fx orks aa ay +r { | & sz8vh zr ISTOHNTIAS ak ee F717 ] sr ‘x ” 1°OldUS, Patent Mar, 26, 1991 Sheet 2 of 2 5,003,186 SUN'S RADIATION AIDATION | 7 FROM ERRTH =} 1 Tea) Z, WSIBLE NEAR TR A WO FIG.2 FIG.3 40 EMISSIVITY ~r VISIBLE WEAR ZC FAR INFRARED5,003,186 1 STRATOSPHERIC WELSBACH SEEDING FOR REDUCTION OF GLOBAL WARMING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention relates to a method forthe reduction ‘of global warming ruling from the greenhouse effect, and in particular to « method which involves the seed. ing ofthe earths stratosphere with Welsbach-like mate- 19 als, Giobal warming has been a great concern of many cnvironmental scientists Scientists believe that the greenhouse effect is responsible for global warming Greatly increased mounts of hea-rapping gases have been generated since the Industrial Revelation. These a1, such as CO3, CEC, and methane, accumulate in the atmosphere and allow sunlight to stream in freely but block heat from escaping (greenhouse effec), These agises are relatively transparent sunshine but absor® strongly the long-wavelength infrared. radiation re: leased by the earth Most current approaches to reduce global warming are to restrict the release of Various greenhouse gases, such as CO, CFC, and methane. These imply the need to establish new regulations and the need to monitor various gases end to enforce the regulations. ‘One proposed solution to the problem of global warming involves the seeding of the stmosphece with metallic particles. One technique proposed to seed the rmetallic particles was to add the tiny particles to the fue of jet arlners, so thatthe particles Would be emit ted from the jet engine exhaust While the arliner was at its cruising altitude. While this method would increase the reflection of visible light incident from space, the metallic particles would trap the long wavelength ‘blackbody radiation released from the earth. This could result in net increase in global warming. It is therefore an object of the present invention to 40 provide « method for reduction of global warming due 10 the greenhouse effect which permits heat to escape through the atmosphere. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ‘A. method is discloted for reducing atmospheric ‘warming due to the greenhouse effect resulting from a ‘greenhouse gases layer. The method comprises the sep ‘of seeding the greenhouse gas layer with a quantity of tiny particles of materials characterized by wavelength- ‘dependent emissivity or reflectivity, in that said materi als have high emissivtis inthe visible and far infrared wavelength regions and low emissivity in the near infra: red wavelength region. Such materials can include the class of materials known as Welsbach materials. The ‘oxides of metal, eg, aluminum oxide, are also suitable for the purpose. The greenhouse gases layer typically ‘extends between about seven and thirteen kilometers above the earth’s surface. The seeding of the strato- sphere occurs within ths layer. The partictes suspended in the stratosphere as a result of the seeding provide a ‘mechanism for converting the blackbody radiation ‘emitted by the earth at neat infrared wavelengths into radiation in the visible and far infrared wavelength se that this heat energy may be reradiated out into space, thereby reducing the global warming duc to the green: house effect. 15 s 0 6s 2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS ‘These and other features and advantages of the pres ‘ent invention will become more apparent for the fol- owing detsiled description of an exemplary embodi- ment thereof, 2 illustrated in the accompanying drais- ings, in which: FIG. 1 illostrates a model for the heat trapping phe- ‘nomenon, ic, the greenhouse effec. FIG. 2s a graph iflestrating the intensity of sunlight incident on earth and of the earth's blackbody radiation as a function of wavelensth, FIG. isa graph illustrating an ideal emissivity ver. sus wavelength function for the desired particle matc- ral. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG, 1 shows a model for the heat-irapping (green- house effect) phenomenon. Its assumed that the green- house gases are concentrated at altitudes between (at some altitude Ys, above the earth's surface) and Regardless of the sunshine reflected back into space, iy and ig denote the shortwavelenath sunlight ‘energies that are absorbed by the earths surface and the use gases, respectively, Available data shows 0.48 ing and i2=0.25 ings where ini i the total {ux from the sun. The short wavelength slight heat ‘up the greenhouse gases and the earth surface, and this nergy is eventually reradiated out in the long wave length infrared region. FIG. 2 isa graph ilustrating the intensity of sunlight and the earth’s blackbody radiation as a function of ‘wavelength. As illustrated, some 30% of the sunlight ‘energy isin the near infrared region. The earth's black- body radiation, onthe other hand, i a the far infrared ‘wavelength, Referring again to FIG. 4,1 L, 1, Ipand le repre- sent the fluxes in the infrared waveiengih region, where Land Ty are the Muxes reradiated by the greenhouse {gases toward the sky and ground, respectively I the flux reradiated by the earth; and I and I are Tunes, ‘within the gases radiating toward the space and ground. respectively. [and I_ are functions of y, eg. [(0)is, the I; flux at y=0. Considering the principles of en- ergy conservation and continuity at boundaries, the following relationships are obtained: Irae o beats ant-RD 2 2-0)=14008 ° 1400 =1-1Re HAIR) « pat OX Ro+ tee o “ o5,003,186 3 ‘where Re, Ryand R are the reflectivities atthe y=0 and y= boundaries and atthe earth's surface, Iga(T,) isthe blackbody radiation flux at the earth's temperature T. Within the greenhouse gases’ layer, the energy equa- tious are hy p)mIyp Tal o Whip iaa Toh o where LaxTy) is the blackbody radiation Dux at the sreeshouse gases temperature Ty, and a8 the sbsorp- fon coefficient ofthe gates. The solutions of equations 4 and 9 are given by equations 10 and 11: L.0)=Upp/e)ecor eo Loimdawe)+ De® an To illustrate the effects of Ry and Rion the greene house effect, the extreme case is considered wherein high concentration of greenhouse gases has strong ab- sorption in the infrared region; that is, for y= 1, eo! approaches 0. Then, using Equations 3 and 4, the rls tonships of Equations 12 and 13 are obtained. Caen na/0K1-R) iy OQ=R) fee Lemti\—Ray4 danse w From Equations 2 and 1, Unsiaxt am aera +90—Ap. 9 Combining Equations 14 and 15, the relationship of Equation 16 is obtained Leni Rde-=-RD ry Finally, Equation 6 gives the blackbody radiation from the earth's surface in terms of iy and i and the three reflectivities: WaT XI Hew Mad Tomi RM ~RIK, Tek). i HAVRE R: am os 4s ” 6 4 To achieve a lower temperature of the earth, (consid= ering i, igand R as constants), its desirable to make R and Ry as small as possible. Known refractory materials have a thermal emissiv ity funetion which is strongly wavelength dependent. For example, the materials may have high emissivity (and absorption) atthe far infrared wavelengths, high emissivity in the visible wavelength range, and very low emissivity at intermediate wavelengtas. Ifa mate- rial having those emissivity characteristics and a black body are exposed to IR energy of equal intensity, the selective thermal radiator will emit visible radiation with higher efficiency (I radiation cooling. predomi- nates), ie, the selective thermal radiator will appear brighter than the black body. This effect is known as the Weisbach effect and is extensively used in commercial 2s lantern mantles Welsbach materials have the characteristic of wave length-dependent emissivity (or reflectivity). For exam ple, thorium oxide (TRO2) has high emissvities in the Visible and far IR regions but it has low emissivity inthe near IR region. So, in accordance with the invention, the layer of greenhouse gases is seeded with Welsbach, ‘or Welsbach-like materials which have high emissviies {and thus low reflectivities) in the visible and 8-12 mi ‘rometer infrared regions, which has the effect of re ducing Re and Ry while introducing no effect in the visible range. ‘A desired material forthe stratospheric seeding has a reflection coefficient close to unity for near IR radia- tion, and a reflection coefficient close to zero (or emis sity close to unity) for far IR radiation. FIG. 3 isa graph ‘lustrating an ideal emissivity versus wavelength fur: tion for the desired material, Another class of materials hhaving the desired property includes the oxides of met als, For example, aluminam oxide (Al:03) is one metal ‘oxide suitable for the purpose and which is relatively inexpensive. Itis presently believed that particle sizes in the ten 10 fone hundred micron range would be suitable for the seeding purposes. Larger particles would tend to settle to the earth more quickly. ‘The particles in the required size range can be ob lained with conventional methods of grinding and meshing, is believed that the number of particles ny per unit area inthe particle layer should be defined by Equation 18: nal Vea on ‘where 11s the thickness of the particle layer and ois the absorption coefficient ofthe particles at the long TR ‘wavelengths. One crude estimate of the density of parti- cles is given by Equation (19): rab lomuyine) 09) ‘where © isthe speed of light, m isthe average particle muss, ¢is the electron charge, and w is the absorption line width in sec ‘The greenhouse gases are typically in the earth's stratosphere at an alutude of seven to thirteen kilome- ters. This suggests that the particle seeding should be done at an altitude on the order of 10 kilometers. The particles may be seeded by dispersal from seeding ai craft; one exemplary technique may be vin the jet fuel as suggested by prior work regarding the metalic parti5,003,186 5 cles. Once the tiny particles have been dispersed into the atmosphere, the particles may remain in suspension, {for up to one year. Tes understood thst the above-described embodi- ‘ment is merely lustrative of the possible specific em- bbodiments which may represent principles of the pres- cent invention. Other arrangements may readily be de- vised in accordance with these principles by those shilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, ‘What is claimed is 1. A method of reducing atmospheric warming due to the greenhouse effect resulting from a layer of gases in the atmosphere which absorb strongly near infrared ‘wavelength radiation, comprising the step of dispersing tiny particles of a material within the gases’ layer, the particle material characterized by wavelength-depend- cnt emissivity or reflectivity, in that said material has high emisivities with respect to radiation in the visible and far infrared wavelength spectra, and low emissivity in the near infrared wavelength spectrum, whereby said tiny particles provide a means for converting infrared beat energy into far infrared radiation which i radiated into space. 2, The method of claim wherein said material com- prises one or more of the oxides of metals. ‘3, The method of claim 1 wherein sid material com- rises aluminum oxide. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein suid material com: prises thorium oxide. ‘5. The method of claim 1 wherein said particles are dispersed by seeding the stratosphere with a quantity of ‘aid particles at altitudes in the range of seven to thir- teen kilometers above the earths surface. 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the size of ssid pattices isin the range of ten to one hundred microns. 7. The method of cisim wherein said material com- prises a refractory material, ‘8. The method of claim 1 wherein said material i a Weisbach material, ‘9. The method of claim 1 wherein the number of said dispersed particles per unit area in the particle layer is 6 ‘greater than or equal to Loris, where | is the thick ress of the particle layer and cats is the sbsorption coefficient of the particles at the far infrared wave- lengths. $10. method for reducing atmospheric warming due to the greenhouse effect resulting from a greenhouse gases layer, comprising the following step: seeding the greenhouse gases' layer with a quantity of tiny particles of a material characterized by wave- length-dependent emissivity or reflectivity, in that Said materials have high emissvites in the visible and far infrared wavelength spectra and low emis- sivity in the near infrared wavelength spectrum, whereby said particles are suspended within ssid gases’ layer and provide a means for converting radiative energy at near infrared wavelengths into radiation at the far infrared wavelengths, permit- ting some of the converted radiation to exeape into space. 11, The method of claim 10 whercin said material comprises one or more of the oxides of metals. 42. The method of claim 10 wherein said material ‘comprises aluminum oxide. YB. The method of claim 10 wherein said material is thorium oxide. 14, The method of claim 10 wherein said seeding is performed at altitudes in the range of seven to thirteen kilometers above the earths surface, 15. The method of claim 10 wherein said ma ‘comprises a refractory materia 16. The method of claim 10 wherein said particle size is in range of ten to one hundred microns. 17, The method of claim 10 wherein said material isa Welshach material. 38, The method of claim 10 wherein the number of said dispersed particles per unit area inthe particle layer is gremer than or equal to 1/orats!, where 1 isthe thick- ness of the particle layer and ort is the absorption 4 coefficient of the particles at the Tar infrared wave- Aengths. ir » Po 3s ” 3s