India, July 23 -- The Government of India issued the following news release:
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), had conducted a research study named Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) during 2018-2019. The CAIPEEX study was carried out using specially hired cloud seeding and research aircraft over the rain shadow region of the Indian peninsula. The study has drawn guidelines for conducting cloud seeding over the rain shadow region.
IITM has developed the knowledge and expertise in the subject. The research and technology capabilities are being developed at IITM under the Mission Mausam Weather_MoD vertical. This includes the development of a 16m tall cloud chamber, the hiring of seeding aircraft, the collaborative development of cloud seeding drones, seeding materials, and dispensers, and other relevant technology with industry and startup companies. There will be capacity development in the country. Operational readiness is hindered by not having the aircraft at disposal and the associated permissions required to operate in the areas relevant for weather modification applications. Although most of the relevant technology is available for import, more development is needed in India to achieve operational readiness.
Cloud seeding tests during the CAIPEEX was conducted as a research experiment in 2018 and 2019 over the rain shadow region of Solapur, Maharastra. The main objectives were:
to investigate aerosol-cloud-precipitation interaction-the science of cloud seeding and
to conduct the randomized cloud seeding to investigate the impact on surface rainfall as per the recommendations of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The rest of the document can be viewed at https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2147269
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
