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Drones Used By The Chinese Government Increase Rainfall By Over 4% In Arid Xinjiang Area With Just 1 Kg Of Silver Iodide And Cloud Seeding Technology
Chinese government scientists have released the results of a climate modification experiment conducted in Xinjiang. Using drones, the operation managed to increase rainfall by over 4% in an area of 3,089 square miles (approximately 4,971 km) in just one day.
The result was achieved using 1 kg of silver iodide, a common substance for cloud seeding. With this small amount, equivalent to the content of a travel mug, more than 70 million liters of water were produced.
This would be enough to fill 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools with two meters of depth, according to information from the South China Morning Post.
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Operation Led By China’s Meteorological Laboratory
The experiment was conducted by the main cloud precipitation physics and climate modification laboratory of the China Meteorological Administration, based in Beijing. The data and results were published on April 10 in the Chinese journal Desert and Oasis Meteorology, after peer review.
The tests were carried out with medium-sized drones flying at an altitude of 5,500 meters over the Bayanbulak pastures.
They released silver iodide in smoke form, from flame bars. Each flight used two of these bars, with 125 grams of the substance in each. The release occurred in four consecutive flights, with a dispersion of 0.28 grams per second.
Drones Offer Operational Advantages
According to the involved scientists, the use of drones represents a safer and more precise alternative. Moreover, they allow for broad coverage, with operations in different climatic conditions throughout the year. These features enable large-scale actions with three-dimensional control.
The technology has also been tested in other regions of China, such as Guizhou, Shanghai, Gansu, and Sichuan, as reported by the South China Morning Post.
Results Were Verified With Three Different Methods
The scientific team worked in partnership with the Xinjiang Climate Modification Office. To corroborate the effects, the researchers used three validation methods. Raindrop sizes, for instance, increased from 0.46 mm to 3.22 mm after the operation.
Satellite images also showed a cooling of up to 10 °C at the top of the clouds, as well as a vertical growth of 2.9 kilometers. These data reinforced the direct impact of the cloud seeding action performed by the drones.
Study Compared Results With 50 Years Of Data
To measure the real impact of the intervention, the scientists analyzed climatic records from the past 50 years. The estimate was an increase of 78,200 cubic meters in precipitation, representing a growth of 3.8%.
Simulations conducted in parallel predicted a similar increase: 73,800 cubic meters, or 4.3%. The values were very close to the real data, indicating the accuracy of the projections.
Despite the positive results, the researchers raised technical questions about seeding practices. Among them, how to determine whether the action actually increased rain or, conversely, reduced the expected volume. The best ways to measure water gain and the duration of the effects over time were also discussed.
Region Faces Drought, Desertification, And Glacier Loss
Xinjiang is one of the driest regions in China and includes parts of the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts. The area faces challenges caused by desertification and the melting of glaciers.
The ice caps of the Tianshan Mountains, essential for supplying water to 25 million people, are decreasing by between 2.2 and 2.8 square kilometers per year, according to official estimates.
Even so, the region has recorded an increase in average rainfall. Studies indicate that precipitation has grown by 0.6 cm per decade. Researchers cite global warming and China’s geoengineering efforts as possible factors.
Among the initiatives are the use of artificial forests and the installation of solar panels, which are said to be accelerating the natural reforestation of the region.
These advancements highlight the role that technology can play in addressing climate change actions, especially in vulnerable regions like Xinjiang.
With information from Interesting Engineering.
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