Geoengineering gunnery – a new approach

Andrew Lockley MEng

Current gun costings are high

Based on barely-modified WWII guns

Like using a tank as a family car

We can build something better

Target - reduce costs ~10x

Step 1 – get rid of propellant

Use gas gun technology

Natural gas is ~100x cheaper

And gives lower start pressure

Step 2 – recover shells

Possibly aerate to reduce impact

Step 3? – Ditch steel shells

Switch to modern composite round

(subject to lifespan, refurb costs)

What’s the result?

Rough Costs – 5 MTWho Shell Propellant Barrels Deprec. Total

Gun – MK7+ 17.5bn 75.8bn 1.3bn 0.05bn 95bn

Gun - Gas 3.5bn 3.8bn 0.7bn 0.05bn 7.4bn

Planes - Old 13bn

Airship - New 5-10bn

Gun - Carbon Life dependant

NB McClellan et al analysis awaiting clarification!!

Competitive? Less technology risk

But – for 1.2 mth / year injectionType Purchase cost

Guns 27.5bn

Planes 160bn

Which is better for SO2 (or H2S)

Conclusion: Guns cheaper for fast injection

Sleep? More detail? Questions?

Supergun – too fast

Ram accelerator – too fast, can’t start

Coilgun – technology risk???

Railgun – high wear

Lightcraft - speculative

Methane is fine for sonic gas gun

Add excess hydrogen to improve

Gives flatter trajectory for dispersal