Nuclear winter from gulf war discounted

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.251.4992.372· OSTI ID:5608888

Marshall, E

Would a major conflagration in Kuwait's oil fields trigger a climate catastrophe akin to the 'nuclear winter' that got so much attention in the 1980s This question prompted a variety of opinions. The British Meteorological Office and researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory concluded that the effect of smoke from major oil fires in Kuwait on global temperatures is likely to be small; however, the obscuration of sunlight might significantly reduce surface temperatures locally. Michael MacCracken, leader of the researchers at Livermore, predicts that the worst plausible oil fires in the Gulf would produce a cloud of pollution about as severe as that found on a bad day at the Los Angeles airport. The results of some mathematical modeling by the Livermore research group are reported.

• OSTI ID: 5608888
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 251:4992; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
OIL WELLS
FIRES
SMOKES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
CLIMATE MODELS
KUWAIT
PETROLEUM
AEROSOLS
ASIA
COLLOIDS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MIDDLE EAST
RESIDUES
SOLS
WELLS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects