Why is it in the news?

• Launched by the government recently (September 11, 2024), Mission Mausam aims to improve weather forecasting and manage specific weather events in India.
• This initiative includes plans to enhance or suppress rainfall, hail, fog, and eventually lightning strikes, making cloud physics research crucial for effective weather modification.
• To this end, India is establishing a first-of-its-kind cloud chamber at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune.

About Cloud Chamber

• A cloud chamber resembles a closed cylindrical or tubular drum where water vapor and aerosols are injected. Under controlled humidity and temperature conditions, clouds can develop inside this chamber.
• The Pune facility will enable scientists to study the seed particles that form cloud droplets or ice particles in a sustained manner. While many countries operate basic cloud chambers with limited functionalities, India’s facility will feature convection properties essential for studying Indian monsoon clouds, a setup that is rare globally.

Purpose of the Convective Cloud Chamber

• The establishment of a convective cloud chamber aims to enhance the understanding of cloud behaviour in both normal and extreme conditions. This includes studying intra-particle interactions within clouds, the formation of rain droplets and ice particles, and the influence of added moisture from cyclones or low-pressure systems.
• The knowledge gained from this research will aid in the strategic planning of weather modification efforts.

Planned Applications for the Cloud Chamber

• The cloud chamber will allow scientists to tailor physical and atmospheric parameters to reflect the environmental conditions affecting Indian weather.
• Over the next 18-24 months, the Indian team will focus on developing advanced instrumentation and probes for the chamber, with civil construction set to begin shortly.

India’s Experience with Cloud Seeding

• India has previously conducted cloud seeding experiments, notably the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX), which spanned over a decade in four phases. The final phase included experiments in the rain-shadow regions of Maharashtra’s Solapur district from 2016 to 2018.
• Analysis showed that under suitable conditions, cloud seeding could enhance rainfall by up to 46% in certain areas, with an average increase of about 18% over a 100 square kilometre area downstream of the seeding location.
• However, it is widely recognized that cloud seeding is not a comprehensive solution for rainfall challenges.