Cloud Seeding 

The Delhi government has proposed cloud seeding, or artificial rainfall, as an emergency solution to tackle the city’s pollution levels.

---

⇒  What is Cloud Seeding?

Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that induces artificial rainfall by introducing chemical nuclei such as silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice, or liquid propane into clouds. These substances help moisture condense, accelerating rainfall.

Types of Cloud-Seeding:

• Hygroscopic Seeding: Uses salt particles to accelerate droplet formation in liquid clouds.

• Glaciogenic Seeding: Uses silver iodide or dry ice to trigger ice formation in supercooled clouds.

 

Global and Indian Usage:

• India: Previously attempted in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra for drought relief.

• Globally: Implemented in countries like Australia, the U.S., Spain, France, UAE, and Russia.

 

Effectiveness and Concerns:

• The Pune-based Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology reports a 60-70% success rate in inducing rainfall through cloud seeding.

• However, the use of silver iodide raises environmental concerns, and the overall effectiveness of the technique depends on specific atmospheric conditions.