Who has come up with this suggestion?
Pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) has become worse. The government is working hard to reduce pollution and help the city's people. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has a plan to help clean up Delhi's polluted air.
They suggest using cloud seeding to make artificial rain and clean the air. This might give some relief to the people.
What is cloud seeding?
Cloud seeding is a technique used to increase condensation in clouds and make them release more rain. It was invented in 1946. This method involves introducing certain substances into supercooled clouds, which are clouds made up of very cold water droplets.
Cloud seeding is carried out using an aeroplane to release these substances into the clouds. Raindrops then form around these substances. This process takes some time. Once the raindrops are big enough, they fall to the ground. This technique can be used on convective clouds as well to produce more rain.
People have used cloud seeding to make artificial rain in places like China and the United Arab Emirates. For five years, IIT Kanpur has been working to make artificial rain. A study on cloud seeding experiments conducted successfully in Solapur, Maharashtra, was also published.
Who conducted the study in Solapur?
A cloud seeding experiment worked well in Solapur and made more rain than usual. Scientists from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and other places did this study. The findings were published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS) journal.
This experiment took place between 2017 and 2019. Many clouds were studied using different equipment and aircraft.
What are some advantages of cloud seeding?
Cloud seeding helps create rain in drought-affected areas, bringing water for farming. It can also make hailstones during storms smaller, protecting homes and crops from damage. Cloud seeding can even make dry places better to live by bringing rain.
However, some experts worry that too much cloud seeding might hurt the environment. Others are concerned it could change the Earth's natural moisture balance and affect the environment.
