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Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by CapitalistCartr on Saturday September 15, 2018 @08:43AM (#17994066)
Hurricanes transfer heat energy from the Tropics to the temperate North. Suppresion of them would cause the energy imbalance to build up, making the next storm worse. Directing the storms away ftom land would be safer.
Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by mrfusion on Saturday September 15, 2018 @08:58AM (#17994114)
I’d need to see a source for the claim it would make the next storm worse. Sounds logical but weather is complicated.

For example maybe trade winds and currents simply speed up a bit if there’s no storm.

Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by qubax on Saturday September 15, 2018 @12:01PM (#17994761)
There could be a replenishing or beneficial aspect of hurricanes on land. By depriving a particular region of an occasional hurricane, we might unknowingly be setting up an ecological disaster.

Just like how we worked hard to prevent wildfires and then realized that wildfires have a rejuvenating and positive effect on forests and the local environment.

Now tornadoes. That seems like the mosquito of storms. It doesn't seem to serve any purpose. Wouldn't mind if we got rid of or could direct tornadoes to save lives and resources.

Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by dghughes on Saturday September 15, 2018 @09:56AM (#17994296)
>Directing the storms away ftom land would be safer.

Not too long ago a hurricane or some big storm was off the US east coast. It didn't land but it veered northeastward.

I remember the weatherman saying with relief the storm has gone out to sea so everyone is safe.

Only it wasn't going out to sea it was headed directly for my region the Maritimes in Canada.

Directing a hurricane away from land may just be sending it to someone else.

Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by newsbinator on Saturday September 15, 2018 @09:01AM (#17994126)
What would be some examples of ways to redirect a hurricane?
Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by CapitalistCartr on Saturday September 15, 2018 @09:05AM (#17994146)
And that is the 64 dollar question.
Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by Someone on Saturday September 15, 2018 @09:10AM (#17994161)
Huge walls aka “mountain ranges”.
Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by tzs on Saturday September 15, 2018 @11:54AM (#17994731)
I've wondered if you could do something like that at airports that have problems with crosswinds. Could you build tall walls on both sides of the runway to block crosswinds?

I'd expect there would be turbulence around the entrance to the walled area which might be dangerous, but that could probably be addressed be having the walls flair out near and beyond the end of the runway, and also past the end have the height ramp down to 0 instead of just stopping abruptly.

Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by mikeash on Saturday September 15, 2018 @12:26PM (#17994866)
I fly out of an airport that used to have a lot of trees along one side of the runway. It had both of the effects you mention, of moderating the wind but also causing turbulence. The problem isn’t just the ends, but also the top, as the wind curls over. Overall I think the benefit is fairly small, and you’re a lot better off building perpendicular runways if you can.
Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by mhh__ on Saturday September 15, 2018 @02:05PM (#17995325)
They do that (for ships) in the Netherlands but extending it to planes seems impractical
Re:Could sonic booms stop hurricanes? (2008) by Someone on Saturday September 15, 2018 @02:14PM (#17995368)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rozenburg_wind_wall:

”Rozenburg wind wall in Rozenburg, Netherlands, is a wall built to block wind from entering the Calandkanaal, and ease the passage of large cargo ships through the narrow canal, particularly through the Calandbrug bridge. The wall blocks about 75% of the wind and allows the ships to pass smoothly. The wall is 1600 meters long and it is made up of 125 rectangular and cylindrical slabs, each about 25 meters tall and 18 meters wide.”

Edit: beter photos at http://googlesightseeing.com/2013/05/rozenburg-wind-wall/. That page points to a dutch-language video that shows hoe tight that passage is: https://youtu.be/H4ZIMXjMRJk?t=3m5s