India is strengthening research in cloud physics, which is crucial for weather modification. Under Project Mausam, a cloud chamber is being established at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune.
What Is a Cloud Chamber?
- The cloud chamber was invented by Charles Thomson Rees Wilson in 1911.
- Structure: A cloud chamber resembles a closed cylindrical or tubular drum . Water vapour and aerosols are injected into the chamber.
- Function: Under controlled humidity and temperature conditions, clouds can develop inside the chamber.
- Significance: The facility will allow scientists to study how seed particles form cloud droplets or ice particles.
- This is vital for understanding cloud formation, precipitation, and weather patterns.
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Significance Of Cloud Chamber for India
- Enhancing Weather Prediction: The cloud chamber will enhance the study of cloud physics, crucial for better weather prediction models, especially in monsoon-dependent India.
- Cloud Seeding Research: The chamber and ongoing studies will help develop cloud seeding techniques, which can potentially address droughts and water shortages by artificially inducing rainfall.
- Mission Mausam : It focuses on studying cloud properties with an emphasis on the Indian monsoon.
- India is building the cloud chamber with convection properties essential for studying monsoon clouds.
Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX)
- CAIPEEX is a two-year study conducted during the 2018 and 2019 summer monsoons in Solapur, Maharashtra.
- The region faces low rainfall due to its position on the leeward side of mountains, away from moisture-laden winds.
- Objective: To develop a cloud seeding protocol, potentially increasing rainfall in rain-deficient regions.
About Mission Mausam
- Mission Mausam is a ₹2,000 crore initiative by the Union Cabinet to upgrade India’s weather forecasting system.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
- Aim: To enhance India’s ability to predict and respond to extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change.
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Cloud Seeding
What is Cloud Seeding?
- Cloud seeding is a technique aimed at artificially inducing rainfall by introducing particles such as silver iodide into clouds.
- These particles serve as nuclei around which moisture can condense, ultimately forming rain droplets.
How Does It Work?
- Seeding Materials: Common materials include silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice, or liquid propane.
- Delivery Method: Seeds can be dispersed using aircraft or ground-based sprayers.
- Condensation Process: The introduced particles encourage the condensation of smaller water droplets into larger ones until they become heavy enough to fall as rain.
Applications and Examples
- India: In Solapur, Maharashtra, cloud seeding reportedly increased rainfall by about 18%.
- UAE: The technique has been employed to enhance rainfall in arid regions.
- China: During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, cloud seeding was used to improve air quality
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23 Oct 2024
