Very often bad weather interferes with our plans, forcing us to spend the weekend sitting in the apartment. But what if a big holiday is planned with the participation of a huge number of residents of the metropolis? Here the dispersal of clouds comes to the rescue, which the authorities exercise to create favorable weather. What is this procedure and how does it affect the environment?
The first attempts to disperse the clouds
For the first time, clouds began to be dispersed back in the 1970s in the Soviet Union using special Tu-16 Cyclone
jets . In 1990, the specialists of the State Hydrometeorological Committee developed a whole technique to create favorable
weather conditions.In 1995, during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Victory, the technique was tested on Red Square. The results met all expectations. Since then, overclocking of clouds began to be used during significant events. In 1998, it was possible to create good weather at the World Youth Games. The celebration of the 850th anniversary of Moscow was not without the participation of the new methodology.
Currently, the Russian service, dealing with the dispersal of clouds, is considered one of the best in the world. She continues to work and develop.
Cloud Acceleration Principle
For meteorologists, the process of dispersing clouds is called "sowing." It involves the spraying of a special reagent, on the cores of which the moisture in the atmosphere is concentrated. After this, precipitation reaches a critical mass and falls to the ground. This is done in areas preceding the territory of the city. Thus, the rain passes earlier.
Such cloud dispersal technology allows providing good weather within a radius of 50 to 150 km from the center of the celebration, which positively affects the celebration and mood of people.
What reagents are used to disperse the clouds
Good weather is established using silver iodide,
dry ice, liquid nitrogen vapor crystals and other substances. The choice of component depends on the type of cloud.
Dry ice is sprayed onto the layered forms of the cloud layer below. This reagent is a carbon dioxide granule. Their length is only 2 cm and their diameter is about 1.5 cm. Dry ice is sprayed from an airplane from a great height. When carbon dioxide hits a cloud, the moisture contained in it crystallizes. After that, the cloud disperses.
Liquid nitrogen fights with layered rain cloud mass. The reagent also disperses above the clouds, leading to their cooling. Silver iodine is used against powerful rain clouds.
Acceleration of clouds with cement, gypsum or talcum powder helps to avoid cumulus clouds located high above the surface of the earth. By dispersing the powder of these substances, it is possible to increase the flow of ascending air, which prevents the formation of clouds.
Cloud Acceleration Technique
Good weather operations are carried out using special equipment. In our country, clouds are dispersed on transport aircraft Il-18, An-12 and An-26, which have the necessary equipment.
Cargo compartments have systems that allow atomization of liquid nitrogen. Some aircraft are equipped with ammunition firing devices with silver compounds. Such guns are installed in the tail section.
Specialized pilots control the equipment. They fly at an altitude of 7-8 thousand meters, where the air temperature does not rise above -40 ° C. To avoid nitrogen poisoning, the pilots are in protective suits and oxygen masks throughout the flight.
How to disperse the clouds
Before proceeding with the acceleration of cloud masses, experts of the
meteorological station examine the atmosphere. A few days before the solemn event, air reconnaissance is being clarified, after which the operation itself begins to establish good weather.
Often, aircraft with reagents take off from a military airfield located in the Moscow region. Having risen to a sufficient height, they spray particles of the drug onto the clouds, which concentrate moisture near them. This leads to the fact that heavy precipitation immediately falls over the spraying area. By the time the clouds are over the capital, the moisture supply is running out.
Acceleration of clouds, the establishment of good weather brings tangible benefits to residents of the capital. So far, in practice, this technology is used only in Russia. Engaged in the operation Roshydromet, coordinating all actions with the authorities.
Cloud Acceleration Efficiency
It was said above that clouds began to disperse under the Soviet regime. Then such a technique was widely used in agricultural needs. But it turned out that it could also serve the benefit of society. One need only recall the Olympic Games held in Moscow in 1980. It was thanks to the intervention of specialists that the weather was avoided.
A few years ago, Muscovites were again able to convince themselves of the effectiveness of dispersing clouds at the celebration of City Day. Meteorologists managed to bring the capital out from under the powerful impact of the cyclone and reduce the intensity of precipitation by 3 times. Hydromet specialists said that it is almost impossible to cope with powerful clouds. However, weather forecasters together with the pilots managed to do this.
The acceleration of clouds over Moscow no longer surprises anyone. Often, good weather during the Victory Day parade is set thanks to the actions of meteorologists. This situation pleases the residents of the capital, but there are people who are wondering about what such interference in the atmosphere might pose. What do the experts of Hydromet say about this?
The effects of cloud dispersal
Meteorologists believe that there is no reason to talk about the dangers of dispersing clouds. Environmental monitoring experts say that the reagents that are sprayed above the clouds are environmentally friendly, they cannot harm the atmosphere.
Migmar Pinigin, who is the head of the research institute’s laboratory, claims that liquid nitrogen does not pose a threat to human health or the environment. The same goes for granular carbon dioxide. Both nitrogen and carbon dioxide are contained in large quantities in the atmosphere.
Spraying the cement powder also does not pose any consequences. In dispersing clouds, a minimal fraction of a substance is used that is not able to pollute the earth's surface.
Meteorologists claim that the reagent is in the atmosphere for less than a day. After it gets into the cloud, precipitation completely washed it out.
Opponents of cloud dispersal
Despite the assurances of meteorologists that the reagents are absolutely safe, there are opponents of such a technique. Environmentalists from Environmental Protection claim that forcibly setting good weather leads to heavy torrential rains that begin after the clouds disperse.
Environmentalists believe that authorities should stop interfering with the laws of nature, otherwise this could lead to unpredictable consequences. According to them, it’s too early to draw conclusions about the potential for overclocking clouds, but they definitely will not bring anything good.
Meteorologists reassure that the negative effects of cloud dispersal are mere assumptions. To make such statements, it is necessary to conduct careful measurements of the concentration of aerosol in the atmosphere and establish its type. Until this is done, environmentalists' allegations can be considered unfounded.
Undoubtedly, cloud dispersal has a positive effect on large-scale open-air events. However, only residents of the capital are happy about this. The population of nearby territories is forced to take the blow of the elements. Disputes about the benefits and harms of good weather technology continue to this day, but so far scientists have not come to any reasonable conclusion.