Physical effect of cloud seeding revealed by NOAA satellite imagery

Abstract

From 0615 to 0749 UTC, 14 March 2000, a precipitation enhancement operation with AgI using an aircraft was conducted at the middle part of Shaanxi Province, China. 80 min after cloud seeding (0735 UTC), NOAA-14 satellite data showed a vivid zigzag cloud track on the satellite image. Its length is 301 km, and its average and maximum width are 8.3 and 11 km. The cloud track is very similar in shape with, but different in position and width from that of cloud seeding line. In order to determine that the cloud track is indeed caused by cloud seeding, a three-dimensional numerical model of transport and diffusion of seeding material is used to simulate the shape of seeding material concentration distribution, the turning points, width and length of seeding line. The simulated results are compared with the features of cloud track at 0735 UTC. Every segment of the cloud track is consistent with the transport and diffusion of every segment of seeding line. The transport position, length, width and the variation trend of seeding line agree with those of cloud track. All suggest that the cloud track is the direct physical reflection of cloud seeding effect on the cloud top, which can respond to the transport and diffusion of seeding material. For this study case, the main effecting duration for every segment of seeding line is from 20 to 80 min, the time for each segment of seeding line diffusing to the maximum width is from about 50 to 70 min. This time is obtained from the appearing and disappearing time, width variation of the cloud track segments and simulated results. Also, the comparisons demonstrate that the numerical model of transport and diffusion can simulate the main characteristics of transport and diffusion of seeding material, and the simulating results are sound and trustworthy.