UAEREP tests efficiency of new cloud seeding nanomaterials

Campaign aims to investigate cloud seeding effectiveness of novel nanomaterials

The UAE Rain Enhancement Program (UAEREP), overseen by the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), has launched a flight campaign in Texas, USA to investigate the effect of novel cloud seeding nanomaterials on the droplet size distribution, and ultimately, the rainfall generation process.

The open atmosphere airborne tests are the culmination of successful laboratory-scale experiments and modeling studies carried out over the past 4 years, as well as the tests that took place in Abu Dhabi, the UAE, last year.

The campaign is a combined effort leveraging research outcomes and capabilities from two

UAEREP projects. Developed by Professor Linda Zou, a Professor at Khalifa University and one of the three awardees of the Program’s First Cycle, the innovative cloud seeding materials are being tested by Dr. Paul Lawson, Senior Research Scientist at SPEC Incorporated, USA, and one of the program’s second cycle awardees.

Prof. Linda’s project aimed to improve the effectiveness of cloud seeding technologies used to increase rain precipitation, through engineering nanostructured properties of the cloud seeding materials to help water vapor in clouds condense, a process necessary for raindrops to form.

The project successfully developed and patented a customized nanomaterial composite that was shown to enhance precipitation formation during both modeling studies and lab experiments. The project also identified the required technology and procedures for cost-effective production of this material to meet actual cloud seeding mission quantity demands.