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DougHaigh_JenMercer
Joined: 05 May 2006
Posts: 654
Location: Mary Valley
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 Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:09 pm Post subject: CM 25/1 Cloud seeding takes off |
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Rain falls as cloud seeding takes off
Brian Williams
January 24, 2008 11:00pm
| Quote: | SHOWERS have fallen after the first two flights of Queensland's cloud seeding trial.
But scientists have yet to determine whether the precipitation occurred naturally or was caused by the seeding on Wednesday and yesterday.
Paul Brady, managing director of MIPD, the company doing the seeding, said yesterday that the project would be a success.
"We believe it works but the scientific level of proof is different to ours," Mr Brady said.
In a world first, specialised radar equipment was being used to clarify the rainfall observations.
"We should know within about a month whether the technology is producing results and have full reports in April," Mr Brady said.
National Centre for Atmospheric Research scientist Roelof Bruintjes rated the flights over southeast Queensland a success but was coy about whether rain had fallen.
"Cloud seeders always say, 'There's the rain', but I want to look at the data first," Dr Bruintjes said.
Two different seeding processes are being tested – glaciogenic, in which silver iodide crystals are used, and hygroscopic, in which salt is applied. Both substances are fired into supercooled water in clouds. Ice accumulates, snowflakes form and then melt to become rain.
Clouds about 1km in depth were sought for seeding and the next suitable conditions would probably occur on Australia Day.
Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara said $7.6 million will be spent on the research over four years.
"Successful cloud seeding won't solve southeast Queensland's water crisis on its own but would be part of an overall package, including recycling, more efficient water use, desalination and new storage facilities," he said.
"This project will focus on the Wivenhoe and Somerset dam catchments."
Seeding would not end droughts but could boost inflows to dams.
Cloud seeding elsewhere in the world could not automatically be transferred to Queensland because of regional climate, cloud characteristics and topographic differences.
The southeast's combined dam levels were at 27.59 per cent yesterday and expected to start falling again soon as inflows slow.
Current La Nina weather patterns will probably afford more opportunities to seed than the previous El Nino year. |
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23104894-3102,00.html |
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Marsiegen
Joined: 02 Sep 2006
Posts: 169
Location: Kilkivan
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:45 am Post subject: |
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Lets assume that cloud seeding works. Do you end up with MORE rain or are you, at great expense, just adjusting the location of it falling. If some-one nearby seeds the clouds and gets rain and I miss out I could possibly feel aggrieved. Is this rain theft?
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"It's the right of the state to confiscate or to compensate. So where is the crime?" - Saddam Hussein |
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