Wrapping Greenland in reflective blankets

Rising sea levels are threatening the planet but a glaciologist has devised a way to prevent glaciers from melting further - by wrapping them in a reflective blanket.

Jessica Salter, The Telegraph 18 Feb 09;

Glaciers cover just 10 per cent of the earth’s surface but 75 per cent of the world’s fresh water are locked beneath the ice.

Jason Box, from Ohio State University, says the way to combat melting glaciers is to cover them with blankets that will reflect the sun’s rays.

Dr Box said: “We’re in the midst of a climate catastrophe and glaciers are the epicentre of that problem.

“Glaciers around the planted are decanting into the oceans at shocking rates and I want to stop that.”

Dr Box, who has conducted climate research expeditions to the Greenland ice sheet every year since 1994, has set out with a team of three others to test his idea on a real glacier in Greenland and prove the technology works.

The bulk of their cargo is 31 giant rolls of uniquely designed white polypropylene blankets. These blankets, which are used in the Alps to preserve ski hills in the summer, will cover a total surface area of 10,000 square meters and are designed to reflect sunlight and block out Greenland’s winds.

The team have to endure a hurricane-force ice storm to test how resilient the material is and test whether it would survive in the Arctic.

Dr Box said: “It’s going to be expensive but when you consider the cost of reengineering our coastlines – this may actually be cheaper.”