Russian, Emirati Scientists to Use Cloud Warming in Rainmaking

FILE - The dried, cracked bed of the Qaraoun artificial lake is seen in West Bekaa, Lebanon, Sept. 19, 2014. Reuters.
FILE - The dried, cracked bed of the Qaraoun artificial lake is seen in West Bekaa, Lebanon, Sept. 19, 2014. Reuters.
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Russian, Emirati Scientists to Use Cloud Warming in Rainmaking

FILE - The dried, cracked bed of the Qaraoun artificial lake is seen in West Bekaa, Lebanon, Sept. 19, 2014. Reuters.
FILE - The dried, cracked bed of the Qaraoun artificial lake is seen in West Bekaa, Lebanon, Sept. 19, 2014. Reuters.

As global temperatures continue to rise, and desertification and drought expand in many regions around the world, the scientific efforts to find new methods that help make rain are ongoing.

While some countries adopt the "effect" mechanisms to stimulate rainfalls or move clouds, the media office of the North-Caucasus Federal University announced a new mechanism suggested by Emirati scientists in cooperation with Russian experts, to stimulate rainfall through cloud warming.

The media office has released the abstract of a study carried out by an Emirati-Russian research team about drought, highlighting that rainfalls have sharply declined in many regions around the world.

The researchers explained that among the reasons behind this phenomenon are the incomplete growth of clouds which prevents the fall of natural amounts of rain, and the rarity of clouds in a certain place.

In both cases, the scarcity of rainfalls affects agriculture, causes more wildfires, and exposes humans to more challenges. Some countries have adopted a method that uses chemicals to induce rain, but it's costly and cannot be applied all the time.

Therefore, the researchers focused in their study on looking at new low-cost methods that help enhance the size of clouds so they become able to produce natural amounts of rain.

The team suggested a new method to develop clouds through warming with a powerful thermal source on the ground that can create a thermal current (contrail).

According to the study, this current should reach the lowest layers of the clouds, three to four kilometers above the Earth surface.

Co-author Robert Zakianin said the thermal current's temperature should be 10-20 degrees higher that the temperature in the clouds' environment.

He also explained that its speed should be 100km/h so it manages to reach the lowest layers of the clouds without losing its temperature in the wind. Jet engines like those used in airplanes can be used to ensure the thermal current reaches the required speed.



Visibility Drops in Parts of Delhi as Pollution Surges

Indian people walk as the city is covered in smog near Rajpath in New Delhi, India, 13 November 2024.  (EPA)
Indian people walk as the city is covered in smog near Rajpath in New Delhi, India, 13 November 2024. (EPA)
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Visibility Drops in Parts of Delhi as Pollution Surges

Indian people walk as the city is covered in smog near Rajpath in New Delhi, India, 13 November 2024.  (EPA)
Indian people walk as the city is covered in smog near Rajpath in New Delhi, India, 13 November 2024. (EPA)

A toxic haze enveloped India's national capital on Wednesday morning as temperatures dropped and pollution surged, reducing visibility in some parts and prompting a warning from airport authorities that flights may be affected.

Delhi overtook Pakistan's Lahore as the world's most polluted city in Swiss group IQAir's live rankings, with an air quality index (AQI) score of more than 1,000, considered "hazardous", but India's pollution authority said the AQI was around 350.

Officials were not immediately available to explain the variation.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the pollution had reduced visibility to 100 meters (328 feet) in some places by around 8 a.m. (0230 GMT).

"Low visibility procedures" were initiated at the city's Indira Gandhi International Airport, operator Delhi International Airport Limited said in a post on social media platform X.

"While landing and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport, flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected," the authority said.

CAT III is a navigation system that enables aircraft to land even when visibility is low.

The IMD said the city's temperature dropped to 17 degrees Celsius (63 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday morning from 17.9C on Tuesday, and may fall further as sunlight remains cut off due to the smog.

Delhi battles severe pollution every winter as cold, heavy air traps dust, emissions, and smoke from farm fires set off illegally in the adjoining, farming states of Punjab and Haryana.

Previously, authorities have closed schools, placed restrictions on private vehicles, and stopped some building work to curb the problem.

The city's environment minister said last week that the government was keen to use artificial rain to cut the smog.

Pakistan's Punjab province, which shares a border with India, has also banned outdoor activities, closed schools, and ordered shops, markets and malls to close early in some parts in an effort to protect its citizens from the toxic air.