- The Uttarakhand administration was under examination by the Supreme Court following forest fires that cost lives in the state.
- The justices emphasised the ineffectiveness of depending entirely on cloud-seeding or rain gods to handle the situation.
About Cloud Seeding
- Cloud seeding is a weather manipulation method that involves releasing compounds into clouds to increase rainfall or snowfall.
- It is used to reduce hail, disperse fog, and induce or avoid precipitation on future days.
- Silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice, and hygroscopic items like table salt are all dispersed into the environment.
Techniques include:
- Static seeding increases ice particle production in supercooled clouds, whereas
- Dynamic seeding boosts convective cloud growth by releasing latent heat.
- Dispersion techniques vary from aircraft and ground-based generators to newer options such as drones that emit electric charges or infrared laser pulses.
Limitations: Impact on the Environment and Health.
- Concerns remain about the possible buildup of seeding agents in delicate ecosystems, despite extensive studies revealing little consequences.
- The chemicals utilised, such as silver iodide, may possibly harm the environment and create health problems including iodine poisoning in high amounts.
Source: https://www.dri.edu/cloud-seeding-program/what-is-cloud-seeding/