NEWS
Quick Access
Capital, N. Emirates get rain, artificially!
By a staff reporter

2 May 2005
ABU DHABI — For the first time in the history of the region, artificial rain was experimented in the UAE last week. Using the latest technology, the rainmaking effort — which continued for four days — brought moderate rain, mainly in the Abu Dhabi emirate and the Northern Emirates, an official source said. The artificial rainfall helped alleviate the dry spells that have lasted for days.

According to experts, artificial rainfall will help plants grow, increase the level in reservoirs, and add water to the barren soil in the country. Although it has rained much more frequently this year, the precipitation in Abu Dhabi remains below average.

The rainmaking efforts helped bring the temperature down 47 degrees Celsius forecast by the Met office for the beginning of May.

In the rainmaking operation last week, experts used a hydrogen bomb for four days, the source said. Ensuring that it was eco-friendly, the source said that with this technique, you can control the timing and location for the rainfall.

According to scientists, plastic hydrogen bomb uses electricity to break apart water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. Then, it uses a spark of electricity to explosively recombine the gases into a high pressure steam, which propels a stream of water high into the air.

In the UAE and several countries of the region, there are often clouds, but no rain. This is because of a phenomenon called supercooling. The temperature of the cloud might be close to zero and there might even be crystals of ice in it. The water vapour in the cloud does not condense into liquid water. The super cooling gets disturbed by spraying the cloud with special substances, using a small aeroplane for the purpose.

 


Have your say
OTHER STORIES
  Local Content Vital for Arab Media Transition
  Briton Captures Capital’s Top Photography Prize
  Picture This and Stop Smoking!
  RAK Bans Shishas on Corniche
  Sharjah Reading Festival Starts from February 14
  18 Deaths in Maritime Accidents
+ MORE STORIES

Khaleej Times on Facebook
Khaleej Times Services
© 2010 Khaleej Times, All rights reserved