In a recent weather modification experiment in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a fleet of drones dispersed approximately 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) of silver iodide into the atmosphere, resulting in an estimated 18.5 million gallons (70,000 cubic meters) of additional rainfall over a 3,089-square-mile (8,000-square-kilometer) area.
This operation, conducted by the China Meteorological Administration’s key laboratory of cloud-precipitation physics and weather modification, achieved a 4% increase in precipitation within a single day.
The experiment utilized medium-sized drones capable of reaching altitudes up to 18,000 feet (5,500 meters) to release the silver iodide, a common cloud-seeding agent. This approach offers a safer and more extensive coverage compared to traditional ground-based or manned aircraft methods.
The successful deployment of drone technology in cloud seeding marks a significant advancement in China’s efforts to address water scarcity and improve ecological conditions in arid regions.
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Context & Background
Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that involves dispersing substances like silver iodide into the atmosphere to stimulate precipitation. China has a history of employing cloud seeding to alleviate drought conditions and enhance water resources, particularly in arid regions such as Xinjiang. The use of drones for cloud seeding represents a technological advancement, offering increased safety and broader coverage compared to traditional methods involving manned aircraft or ground-based operations.
Xinjiang’s arid climate exposes it to serious water shortage problems, and was thus one of the earliest regions in China to start cloud seeding. It has the largest scale of weather modification operations in the country, with more than 1,000 cloud seeding stations and four rainfall and snowfall induction bases. These facilities cover more than 340,000 square kilometers of land, including some 2.7 million hectares of crops, and are capable of increasing precipitation by roughly one billion tons a year.
In This Story
China Meteorological Administration
The national weather service agency of the People’s Republic of China, responsible for weather forecasting, monitoring, and modification operations.
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
A vast region in northwest China known for its arid climate and diverse ethnic groups, including the Uygur people.
Silver Iodide
A chemical compound commonly used in cloud seeding operations to induce precipitation by serving as nuclei for water droplet formation.
Cloud Seeding
A weather modification technique that involves dispersing substances into the air to encourage cloud condensation and precipitation.
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