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Author Topic: China wages war on Olympic weather
rural - Francesca
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Babbler # 14858

posted 16 July 2008 05:32 AM      Profile for rural - Francesca   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
China wages war on Olympic weather

Seriously???

I know they want things 'perfect' but this takes the cake.

Speaking of cake, if this does work, I wonder how long before the wedding industry starts offering this....


From: the backyard | Registered: Dec 2007  |  IP: Logged
scooter
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5548

posted 16 July 2008 07:06 AM      Profile for scooter     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Nothing new. Cloud seeding has been used for years in Alberta.
From: High River | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
Robespierre
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15340

posted 16 July 2008 07:16 AM      Profile for Robespierre     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
The Dalai Lama missed his big chance; if he'd only stopped the rain through prayer there'd be no question whether the reinstitution of theocracy in Napal was a good thing.
From: Raccoons at my door! | Registered: Jul 2008  |  IP: Logged
jeff house
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posted 16 July 2008 08:06 AM      Profile for jeff house     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yes, "the resitution of theocracy" is to be condemned in Iran and Tibet. Right?
From: toronto | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Wilf Day
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Babbler # 3276

posted 16 July 2008 08:27 AM      Profile for Wilf Day     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
It has become a tradition in Beijing to seed the clouds before public holidays to make rain, disperse pollution and ensure clear skies says this 2006 article.
quote:
China will "seed" the clouds looming over its cities with rockets and chemical pellets to bring rain and so clear its polluted skies for the Olympics in 2008.

China leads the world in using cloud seeding to induce rainfall. In the past five years, the practice has produced enough precipitation to fill the Yellow river, the country's second longest, four times over.

The Games will be the biggest test to date of cloud seeding.

Some studies show cloud seeding can increase precipitation by up to 30 per cent, but others are wary of the overall effect on the environment.

In the past five years, Chinese air force jets have flown nearly 3,000 flights and sowed rain-making chemicals to bring down 210 billion cubic metres of water over three million square kilometres, nearly a third of China's territory. Rain-making rockets and shells were used in 1,952 counties across the country, and 3,000 people are employed in the business, with a formidable arsenal of 7,000 cannon and 4,687 rocket launchers.

Weather specialists induced rain in early May in Beijing to help relieve drought and wash tons of dust from the Gobi desert dumped on the capital by a rash of sandstorms. Cloud seeding is also used to prevent hail and extinguish forest fires. Artificially induced rain was used to help put out three major forest fires that raged in north and north-east China for 10 days before they were subdued last Friday.



The sandstorms are the biggest problem, even before the Olympics. They are a major factor in Beijing. March 29, 2008: "The rain is expected to relieve the recent draught and restrain sandstorms."

From: Port Hope, Ontario | Registered: Oct 2002  |  IP: Logged

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