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Published in Andrew Maynard, Jack Stilgoe, The Ethics of Nanotechnology, Geoengineering and Clean Energy, 2020
Other means of altering energy transport are more speculative. Examples include weather modification and redirection of ocean currents using giant dams. In principle, the direct application of mechanical work to alter atmospheric motions offers an energetically efficient means of weather modification (58); however, no practical means of applying such forces are known. Alternatively, weather modification may be accomplished by cloud seeding. Despite very large cumulative research expenditure over its long history, cloud seeding has demonstrated only marginal effectiveness. Accurate knowledge of the atmospheric state and its stability could permit leverage of small, targeted perturbations to effect proportionately larger alterations of the atmospheric dynamics. The small perturbations could be effected by cloud seeding or direct application of thermal or mechanical energy. The increasing quality of analysis/forecast systems and the development of effective adjoint models that allow accurate identification of dynamic instabilities suggest that the relevant predictive capability is emerging.
Weather Modification
Published in William Goldfarb, Water Law, 2020
“Weather modification” is defined as “any artificially produced change in the composition, behavior, or dynamics of the atmosphere, when such change is produced with intent to alter the weather.”34 This definition excludes inadvertent weather changes such as those potentially caused by fossil fuel burning, and it implicitly excludes “climate modification” involving relatively long-term or lasting climatic changes. Seeding clouds with silver iodide or other chemicals to increase precipitation, especially to augment winter snowpack, is the most popular weather modification technique. But attempts are also made at hail and lighting suppression, hurricane diversion, and fog dissipation.35
Special Topic
Published in Anna M. Doro-on, Handbook of Systems Engineering and Risk Management in Control Systems, Communication, Space Technology, Missile, Security and Defense Operations, 2023
Weather modification is a man-made alteration of atmospheric conditions on local or regional capacities as clouds, snow, fog, rain, hail, lightning, thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones. For the past several years scientists have been attempting to disrupt incoming hurricanes or tropical cyclones. Recently, China employed rockets to deliver its silver iodide to the sky to create artificial snow. For the residents of Beijing, those armaments deliver all the headaches that go along with big snowstorms: traffic problems, flight delays, cancelled classes, and various transportation issues (Dillow 2009). While the government of China claims the seeding is for the good of the country, that claim is about as dubious as the practice of seeding itself. In 2005, a snow melting agent killed 10,000 trees in Beijing, and experts worry it could be eroding the city’s infrastructure (Dillow 2009). In 2008, China attempted to stop rain for the 2008 Olympics by utilizing 30 airplanes, 4000 rocket launchers, and 7000 anti-aircraft guns. Cloud seeding is a relatively well-known practice that involves shooting various substances into clouds, such as silver iodide, salts, and dry ice, that bring on the formation of larger raindrops, triggering a downpour (Demick 2008). But Chinese scientists believe they have perfected a technique that reduces the size of the raindrops, delaying the rain until the clouds move on (Demick 2008). Scientist working for the Abu Dhabi government created more than 50 rainstorms in Al Ain in July and August 2010, during the peak of the emirate’s summer months (Leigh 2011). The rains are part of a secret of $11 million project, reportedly commissioned by HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE, which used ionizers to generate storms (Leigh 2011). The fake storms went so far as to produce hail, wind gales, and even lightning, baffling residents (Leigh 2011).
Hail suppression effectiveness for different cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) populations in continental and maritime environments
Published in Aerosol Science and Technology, 2023
Convective storms contribute significantly to the total precipitation on Earth. They serve to maintain the electric field of fair weather between the ionosphere and the Earth’s surface. Unfortunately, convective storms can cause severe weather causing flash floods, heavy hailstones, violent winds, tornadoes, and fires. Therefore, several attempts to mitigate the severe weather phenomena associated with convective storms have been made, namely by undertaking weather modification activities involving cloud seeding. One example of such an advertent weather modification process is hail suppression which can be conducted either for operational or research purposes.