Physical Factors in Precipitation Processes and Their Influence on the Effectiveness of Cloud Seeding

Abstract

From the physical standpoint, the problem with respect to the effectiveness of attempts to modify the precipitation process is that while we have a fairly clear understanding of the process in qualitative terms, adequate theories and observational data for quantitative evaluation of process rates are not available. Consequently, we cannot tell whether the natural process in a given case will proceed at optimum efficiency, or whether a particular change in the conditions will lead to an increase or a decrease in the rate. Under these circumstances it is likely, if not inevitable, that insofar as they have any effect at all the attempts to affect precipitation by cloud seeding will in some cases increase it and in other cases decrease it, with results which are impossible to predict and difficult to detect.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1967
Accession Number
AD1027692

Entities

People

  • M. Neiburger

Organizations

  • University of California

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Clouds
  • Coalescence
  • Collisions
  • Condensation
  • Condensation Nuclei
  • Equations
  • Heat Energy
  • Humidity
  • Latent Heat
  • Measurement
  • Meteorology
  • Physical Theories
  • Precipitation
  • Saturation
  • Transition Temperature
  • Vapor Pressure
  • Water Vapor

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Theoretical Analysis.