Team of Japanese experts looks for clouds suitable for seeding in UAE
dubai — A flight campaign by Japanese researchers will assess the potential for cloud seeding in the UAE, the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) said on Monday.
Led by Prof. Masataka Murakami, the Japanese team is working from the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), which is managing the UAE’s Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science.
The team is currently analysing the microphysical and chemical structures of clouds suitable for seeding and the frequency of their occurrence over the eastern mountain areas of the UAE.
“We are delighted to facilitate and support Prof Murakami’s innovative work. By collaborating and facilitating the availability of extensive resources, the NCMS is making every effort to ensure the successful completion of all six projects currently being carried out by the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science’s awardees,” said Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, director of NCMS. “In doing so, we are seeking to advance the scientific community’s understanding of rain enhancement and ultimately aiding the common international quest for water security.”
The team, which comprises 20 experienced scientists and an aircraft crew and support staff, has already been carrying out the geophysical mapping of seedable clouds in the UAE by utilising the comprehensive local meteorological data compiled by the NCMS scientists.
Building on this information, the Japanese experts have additional information on vertical profiles of local temperature, humidity, cloud water and precipitation particles from groundbased measuring equipment including microwave radiometer and Doppler radar.
The team is now deploying its own custom-designed aircraft fitted out with advanced scientific instruments to carry out further experiments based on the previous field work. The aircraft carries out daily flights to assess the properties of local clouds, the effect of seeding materials injected into the clouds and the changes in rain precipitation levels that may result.
Researchers hope that the joint work being carried out by the Japanese team and the NCMS will make significant contributions to the study of ‘cloud seedability’ and the development of effective seeding methods and evaluation techniques.
Launched by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs of the UAE in early 2015, the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science is an i initiative that offers a grant of $ 5 million to be shared by up to five winning research proposals.
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