Gravity-Assist might be a Solution to Save Earth from Global Warming

Abstract

Global warming is one of the problems of human civilization and decarbonization policy is the main solution to this problem. In this work, we propose an alternative method of using the gravity assist by the asteroids to increase the orbital distance of the Earth from the Sun. We can manipulate the orbit of asteroids in the asteroid belt by solar sailing and propulsion engines to guide them towards the Mars orbit and a gravitational scattering can put asteroids in a favorable direction to provide an energy loss scattering from the Earth. The result would be increasing the orbital distance of the earth and consequently cooling down the Earth's temperature. We calculate the increase in the orbital distance of the earth for each scattering. The time scale for lowering the orbit of an asteroid for a gravitational impact is $70$ years. For the consecutive of scatterings of asteroids, we investigate the feasibility of performing this project.

Keywords

• dynamics
• solar system
• global warming