ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 15th Aug, 2021) The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), through the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), has conducted coordinated flight testing of its novel cloud seeding nanomaterials, with the results showing an increase in the radius of cloud droplet sizes after seeding.
The achievement raised the prospect over the rain generation process and encouraged the conducting of routine operational trials to generate enough cases for statistical testing.
The experiments were carried out in Texas, United States, in collaboration with the West Texas Weather Modification Association (WTMA), due to the environmental suitability there for such experiments.
"The success of this campaign is the result of NCM’s persistent effort and commitment to rely on science and innovation to address water challenges faced by countries in arid and semi-arid regions, such as the Gulf and middle East. Since the launch of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, it has made major progress, raising prospects for the country to ensure sustainable water resources," said Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, Director-General of the NCM and President of the Regional Association II in the Asia Region.
Expressing a similar view, Alya Al Mazroui, Director of the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, said, "The latest result of our campaign underscores the UAE’s commitment to mitigating some of the pressing challenges through innovation and scientific research."
She added that the latest results provided an impetus to those involved in the project to accelerate their efforts.
Meanwhile, a recent article by a team of researchers led by Dr. Lulin Xue, chief scientist at Hua Xin Chuang Zhi Science and Technology in China and recipient of an award in the UAEREP’s Third Cycle, on simulating the effects of various seeding materials on clouds and precipitation over the UAE, concluded that nanomaterials produce better effects compared to other seeding agents, especially in strong updraft conditions. It added that these nanomaterials produce positive results, even for maritime clouds in which other conventional seeding material produce have no effect.
The open-atmosphere airborne tests are the result of successful laboratory-scale experiments and modeling studies carried out over the past four years, as well as ground tests conducted earlier in Abu Dhabi.
