Stanford University’s Ken Caldeira, with research funding by Bill and Melinda Gates, has thought up a conceptual method of weakening hurricanes using mechanically simple ocean pumps. He is reportedly developing ocean cooling pumps to cool waters in areas where hurricanes occur.
The basic science behind the pump is this: The hotter the ocean’s surface, the more devastating a hurricane can become. So the pump is essentially just a floating ring dangling a very large plastic tube penetrating the ocean. Hot waves flow over the ring, sink down the tube and float back to the surface after mixing with the cool water below. The result? A slightly cooler ocean surface temperature that could vastly reduce a hurricane’s eventual destruction.
