Nuclear Explosions for Large Scale Carbon Sequestration
2025/01/11 by Andrew Haverly, Haverly, Andrew · 29 voices · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #physics.soc-ph #physics.ao-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2501.06623
Abstract
Confronting the escalating threat of climate change requires innovative and large-scale interventions. This paper presents a bold proposal to employ a buried nuclear explosion in a remote basaltic seabed for pulverizing basalt, thereby accelerating carbon sequestration through Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW). By precisely locating the explosion beneath the seabed, we aim to confine debris, radiation, and energy while ensuring rapid rock weathering at a scale substantial enough to make a meaningful dent in atmospheric carbon levels. Our analysis outlines the parameters essential for efficient carbon capture and minimal collateral effects, emphasizing that a yield on the order of gigatons is critical for global climate impact. Although this approach may appear radical, we illustrate its feasibility by examining safety factors, preservation of local ecosystems, political considerations, and financial viability. This work argues for reimagining nuclear technology not merely as a destructive force but as a potential catalyst for decarbonization, thereby inviting further exploration of pioneering solutions in the fight against climate change.
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Discussions
- Men will do anything to keep using fossil fuels. This paper proposes to use nuclear bombs to blow up the seafloor to increase alkalinity and take up atmospheric CO₂. What could go wrong? 🤷🏻♂️ h/t [bsky, 483 points, 81 comments]
- Nuclear Explosion for Carbon Sequestration [hn, 43 points, 64 comments]
- arxiv.org/pdf/2501.066... very funny paper [bsky, 17 points, 0 comments]
- When you've tried nothing and are all out of ideas? "Confronting the escalating threat of climate change requires innovative and large-scale interventions. This paper presents a bold proposal to emp [bsky, 17 points, 4 comments]
- i think there is like a 10% chance that elon musk gets access to the nuclear arsenal and tries this arxiv.org/abs/2501.066... [bsky, 14 points, 0 comments]
- Nuclear Explosions for Large Scale Carbon Sequestration [hn, 6 points, 1 comments]
- Nuclear Explosions for Large Scale Carbon Sequestration [hn, 6 points, 4 comments]
- arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 3 points, 1 comments]
- Finally! The reasonable solution to climate change we've all been waiting for! arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 3 points, 0 comments]
- Uh oh. They are about to fix the climate by dropping nukes on it. What an apropos American way to go. arxiv.org/pdf/2501.06623 [bsky, 3 points, 0 comments]
- How did I miss that one... Nuclear bombs + sea floor with basalt => alkalinity => ocean sink of carbon => climate mitigated. But of course, what could go wrong... 🤔 arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 3 points, 0 comments]
- The posting is not listed as being submitted for publication anywhere. Nor does it include any acknowledgements: arxiv.org/pdf/2501.06623. I saw it when it was posted on the arXiv in January, but it w [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]
- New worst idea ever for geo engineering just dropped. We're speed running the 50s now: https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 2 points, 5 comments]
- How about detonating a 61 Gt (!) hydrogen bomb below the Kerguelen Plateau in the Southern Ocean to do 1000 Gt (ERW) carbon removal? Insane ideas out there… arxiv.org/pdf/2501.06623 [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]
- Nuclear Explosions for Large Scale Carbon Sequestration [pdf] [hn, 2 points, 0 comments]
- Du meinst das hier? arxiv.org/pdf/2501.06623 [bsky, 1 points, 1 comments]
- OK give mind, what do y’all think about this?! arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 1 points, 2 comments]
- "Nuclear Explosions for Large Scale Carbon Sequestration" Far from the worst idea I've heard. Can we at least include hazmat suits for polar bears? arxiv.org/pdf/2501.06623 [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- So 81Gt nuclear explosion to reverse 30 years of climate change? It would require a much bigger bomb than we have ever produced (and humanity already made them too big). arxiv.org/abs/2501.066... [bsky, 1 points, 1 comments]
- arxiv.org/pdf/2501.06623 [bsky, 1 points, 1 comments]
- 📝 For more details, read the study entitled "Nuclear Explosions for Large Scale Carbon Sequestration" here: arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 #Geoengineering #CDR #ERW 🧵11/11 [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- Nuclear Explosions for Large Scale Carbon Sequestration [hn, 1 points, 0 comments]
- Nuclear Explosion for Carbon Sequestration https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44547538) [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- ⚡ Hackernews Top story: Nuclear Explosion for Carbon Sequestration [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- Nuclear Explosion for Carbon Sequestration #HackerNews https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- "Or we can try the Nuclear option" arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 0 points, 1 comments]
- ⛅ Чёкнулись? Для борьбы с глобальным потеплением учёные предложили взорвать в нужном месте 1620 термоядерных бомб мощностью 50 Мт. Всё точно рассчитано и доступно для изучения по ссылке на сайте ar [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- We have reached a new level of stupid arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
- Nuclear Explosion for Carbon Sequestration https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.06623 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]
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