At China Dialogue, Luna Lin reports division among scientists over the effectiveness of artificial rainfall in alleviating China’s worsening smog problem:
A recent document released by the China Meteorological Administration has said that by 2015 local weather authorities will be able to use weather manipulation – mainly artificial rainfall – to improve air quality when heavy smog occurs, according to the Beijing News.
[…] Nonetheless, the feasibility of using artificial rainfall to tackle air pollution has been questioned.
“It is almost impossible to reduce smog and improve air quality by means of using artificial rainfall under the current weather modification technologies,” Hong Yanchao, the deputy director of the National Consultation and Evaluation Committee for Weather Modification, told chinadialogue.
There are certain weather conditions that must be met before conducting artificial rainfall, such as humidity and ice crystal concentration, according to Hong. “Usually smog weather does not meet these conditions,” he added. [Source]
