Asri-unix.893
net.space
utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!sri-unix!Ciccarelli@PARC-MAXC@Berkeley@CCA-UNIX
Thu Mar  4 12:26:41 1982
Re: Melting snow with orbiting mirrors
You're toying with weather modification on a LARGE SCALE, there!  The "heat
bubble" of cities already has an effect on surrounding territory; this sort of thing
could have all sorts of ramifications on downwind vegetation (crops, trees), for
instance.  Heat and wind patterns are implicated in desert formation as well!

This is of an entirely different class from the Soviet's suggestion of providing
city lighting with a spaceborne mirror; that can be done with far less intensity
(and thus heat input to the biosphere).

Both of these projects also raise substantial legal and freedom-of-choice issues. 
Legislating freeway construction is one thing; the creation of a (visual) second
sun or an omnipresent "Night-light" is quite another.

Keep your snow shovel, Will...
/John