Artificial Rains

Artificial Rains Latest News

Delhi’s Environment Minister recently chaired a meeting with key government agencies to explore the feasibility of artificial rain through cloud seeding.

About Artificial Rains

• Artificial rain refers to the process of inducing precipitation through cloud seeding, a weather modification technique.
• It is primarily used to enhance rainfall, combat drought conditions, and reduce air pollution.

How Does It Work?

• The method involves dispersing chemicals like silver iodide, potassium iodide, and dry ice into clouds to encourage the formation of raindrops using aircraft or helicopters.
• These chemicals act as nuclei around which water vapour condenses to form larger droplets, eventually leading to rainfall.
• The success of cloud seeding depends on the presence of sufficient moisture and appropriate atmospheric conditions.

Types of Cloud Seeding

• Hygroscopic Cloud Seeding: Accelerates the merging of droplets in liquid clouds, making them large enough to fall as rain.
• Glaciogenic Cloud Seeding: Introduces ice-forming agents into supercooled clouds, converting water vapour into ice crystals, which then melt into rain.

Alternative Technologies

• Static artificial rain-inducing system: Uses natural ionisation technology to stimulate precipitation.
• Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI): A form of solar geoengineering, inspired by volcanic eruptions, where aerosols like sulphur dioxide or other reflective particles are injected into the atmosphere to cool the planet and reduce smog.
• Diamond dust experiment: Scientists have explored using diamond dust as a non-toxic, long-lasting alternative to sulphur-based aerosols for climate cooling. However, the high cost ($175 trillion) makes it unfeasible.

Artificial Rains FAQs

Q1. What is artificial rain?
Ans. Artificial rain is man-made precipitation induced using cloud seeding techniques, involving chemicals like silver iodide, potassium chloride, or dry ice.

Q2. How does cloud seeding work?
Ans. Small particles are dispersed into moist clouds, acting as nuclei for water droplets to form and trigger rainfall.

Q3. What are the uses of artificial rain?
Ans. It is used for drought relief, improving water availability, controlling pollution, and reducing heat waves in urban areas.

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Source: IE