A Previously Underappreciated Impact on Global Warming caused by the Geometrical and Physical Properties of desert sand
The previous researches focused on the influence of
anthropogenic greenhouse gases exerting global warming, but not
consider whether desert sand may warm the planet, this could be
improved by accounting for sand's physical and geometric properties.
Here we show, sand particles (because of their geometry) at the desert
surface form an extended surface of up to 1 + π/4 times the planar area
of the desert that can contact sunlight, and at shallow depths of the
desert form another extended surface of at least 1 + π times the planar
area that can contact air. Based on this feature, an enhanced heat
exchange system between sunlight, desert sand, and air in the spaces
between sand particles could be built up automatically, which can
increase capture of solar energy, leading to rapid heating of the sand
particles, and then the heating of sand particles will dramatically heat
the air between sand particles. The thermodynamics of deserts may
thus have contributed to global warming, especially significant to
future global warming if the current desertification continues to
expand.
[1] Editorial, Rising to the climate challenge, Nature 449: 755, 2007.
[2] G. C. Hegerl, et al., Understanding and Attributing Climate Change. In:
Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of
Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, 2007.
[3] F. Lambert, et al., Dust-climate couplings over the past 800,000 years
from the EPICA Dome C ice core, Nature 452: 616-619, 2008.
[4] P. Foukal, C. Frohlich, H. Spruit, T. M. L. Wigley, Variations in solar
luminosity and their effect on the Earth's climate, Nature 443: 161-166,
2006.
[5] M. Manzoor, Heat flow through extended surface heat exchangers.
Springer-Verlag, New York, 1984
[6] S. Y. Mesnyankin, A. G. Vikulov, D. G. Vikulov, Solid-solid thermal
contact problems: current understanding, Phys. Usp. 52: 891-914, 2009.
[7] N. A. Leontovich, Maximum efficiency of direct utilization of radiation,
Sov. Phys. Usp. 18: 963-964, 1975.
[8] A. I. Volokitin and B. N. J. Persson, Radiative heat transfer and
noncontact friction between nanostructures, Phys. Usp. 50: 879-906,
2007.
[9] C. Bousbaa, et al., Effects of duration of sand blasting on the properties of
window glass, European Journal of Glass Science and Technology Part A.
39(1): 24-26, 1998.
[10] P. A. Tiple and G. Mosca, Physics for Scientists and Engineers. W H
Freeman & Company, New York, 2007
[11] E. Claussen, V. A. Cochran, D. P. Davis, Climate Change: Science,
Strategies, & Solutions. University of Michigan, Michigan, 2001.
[12] E. Exequel, Global Desert Outlook. United Nations Environment
Programme, New York, 2006.
[13] United Nations, Major groups on children and youth. United Nations
Commission on Sustainable Development, New York, 2007.
[14] P. R. Goode, et al., Earthshine Observations of the Earth-s Reflectance,
Geophysical Research Letters 28 (9): 1671-1674, 2001.
[15] C. Ehret, The Civilizations of Africa. University Press of Virginia,
Virginia, 2002.
[16] J. Jouzel, C. Lorius, J. R. Petit, Vostok ice core: a continuous isotope
temperature record over the last climatic cycle (160,000 years), Nature
329: 403-408, 1987.
[17] B. J. Soden and I. M. Held, An Assessment of Climate Feedbacks in
Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Models, J. Climate 19 (14): 3354-3360,
2005.
[1] Editorial, Rising to the climate challenge, Nature 449: 755, 2007.
[2] G. C. Hegerl, et al., Understanding and Attributing Climate Change. In:
Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of
Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, 2007.
[3] F. Lambert, et al., Dust-climate couplings over the past 800,000 years
from the EPICA Dome C ice core, Nature 452: 616-619, 2008.
[4] P. Foukal, C. Frohlich, H. Spruit, T. M. L. Wigley, Variations in solar
luminosity and their effect on the Earth's climate, Nature 443: 161-166,
2006.
[5] M. Manzoor, Heat flow through extended surface heat exchangers.
Springer-Verlag, New York, 1984
[6] S. Y. Mesnyankin, A. G. Vikulov, D. G. Vikulov, Solid-solid thermal
contact problems: current understanding, Phys. Usp. 52: 891-914, 2009.
[7] N. A. Leontovich, Maximum efficiency of direct utilization of radiation,
Sov. Phys. Usp. 18: 963-964, 1975.
[8] A. I. Volokitin and B. N. J. Persson, Radiative heat transfer and
noncontact friction between nanostructures, Phys. Usp. 50: 879-906,
2007.
[9] C. Bousbaa, et al., Effects of duration of sand blasting on the properties of
window glass, European Journal of Glass Science and Technology Part A.
39(1): 24-26, 1998.
[10] P. A. Tiple and G. Mosca, Physics for Scientists and Engineers. W H
Freeman & Company, New York, 2007
[11] E. Claussen, V. A. Cochran, D. P. Davis, Climate Change: Science,
Strategies, & Solutions. University of Michigan, Michigan, 2001.
[12] E. Exequel, Global Desert Outlook. United Nations Environment
Programme, New York, 2006.
[13] United Nations, Major groups on children and youth. United Nations
Commission on Sustainable Development, New York, 2007.
[14] P. R. Goode, et al., Earthshine Observations of the Earth-s Reflectance,
Geophysical Research Letters 28 (9): 1671-1674, 2001.
[15] C. Ehret, The Civilizations of Africa. University Press of Virginia,
Virginia, 2002.
[16] J. Jouzel, C. Lorius, J. R. Petit, Vostok ice core: a continuous isotope
temperature record over the last climatic cycle (160,000 years), Nature
329: 403-408, 1987.
[17] B. J. Soden and I. M. Held, An Assessment of Climate Feedbacks in
Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Models, J. Climate 19 (14): 3354-3360,
2005.
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:62964", author = "Y. F. Yang and B. T. Wang and J. J. Fan and J. Yin", title = "A Previously Underappreciated Impact on Global Warming caused by the Geometrical and Physical Properties of desert sand", abstract = "The previous researches focused on the influence of
anthropogenic greenhouse gases exerting global warming, but not
consider whether desert sand may warm the planet, this could be
improved by accounting for sand's physical and geometric properties.
Here we show, sand particles (because of their geometry) at the desert
surface form an extended surface of up to 1 + π/4 times the planar area
of the desert that can contact sunlight, and at shallow depths of the
desert form another extended surface of at least 1 + π times the planar
area that can contact air. Based on this feature, an enhanced heat
exchange system between sunlight, desert sand, and air in the spaces
between sand particles could be built up automatically, which can
increase capture of solar energy, leading to rapid heating of the sand
particles, and then the heating of sand particles will dramatically heat
the air between sand particles. The thermodynamics of deserts may
thus have contributed to global warming, especially significant to
future global warming if the current desertification continues to
expand.", keywords = "global warming, desert sand, extended surface, heat
exchange, thermodynamics", volume = "5", number = "11", pages = "737-6", }