China 'will stop the rain' for Olympics

Lolli · 02-01-2008, 05:03 AM

This is sooooooooo fucked up, I can't even begin. I really, really dislike China at this point.
=======================

CHINESE weather boffins say they have stopped the rain from falling in experiments aimed at guaranteeing a dry opening ceremony at August's Olympic Games.

With no roof on the showpiece Bird's Nest stadium, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau has been charged with developing methods of preventing wet weather spoiling what promises to be a spectacular start to the Games on the evening of August 8.

"Our experiments with rain mitigation have been aimed at light rain," said Zhang Qian, head of weather manipulation at the bureau.

"With heavy rain it is more difficult. The results with light rain have been satisfactory."

Ms Qian said different strategies were used to stop rain on different types of clouds, but both had proved not to harm the environment.

"For cold clouds below zero degrees, we use a coolant made from liquid nitrogen to increase the number of droplets while decreasing their mean size," she said.

"As a result, the smaller droplets are less likely to fall and precipitation can be reduced.

"For clouds above zero degrees we use the seeding agent silver iodide to accelerate the droplets' collision and coalescence, producing a downdraft which suppresses the formation of clouds."
China has long used weather manipulation to increase rainfall in the parched north of the country, firing seeding agents into the clouds using anti-aircraft guns.

This method might also be used to prevent wet weather at the stadium by inducing the rain to fall before it reached the target area, said Wang Yubin, deputy chief engineer at the bureau.
"Rain mitigation is a very complex process, though," he said.
The weather bureau is also working hard on preparing for one of the pre-Games highlights, the ascent of the Olympic torch to the top of Mount Everest.

"We will have very detailed forecasts," Mr Wang said. "We will be able to tell the organisers: the winds are too strong, you cannot do it on this day, or, you can do it on this day."

China 'will stop the rain' for Olympics | Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania
==============================
This is scary, scary stuff.

Lolli · 02-01-2008, 03:04 PM

bump!

Malkavian · 02-01-2008, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lollipop

This is sooooooooo fucked up, I can't even begin. I really, really dislike China at this point.
=======================

==============================
This is scary, scary stuff.

Why? Weather control is nothing new. In the USSR, they used planes and rockets though, not AA guns. I'm sure US has something similar. And nitrogen is harmless - you are breathing it right now

The_Heretic · 02-01-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malkavian

Why? Weather control is nothing new. In the USSR, they used planes and rockets though, not AA guns. I'm sure US has something similar. And nitrogen is harmless - you are breathing it right now

You're breathing in N2 yes, but that's different from the nitrates and other nigron compounds they're intending to spew all over. Sure, it'll tweak the weather to where they want it, then the residual chemical crap will render much of their soils and water toxic.

And we think our corporations will kill for a buck.

Malkavian · 02-01-2008, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heretic

You're breathing in N2 yes, but that's different from the nitrates and other nigron compounds they're intending to spew all over. Sure, it'll tweak the weather to where they want it, then the residual chemical crap will render much of their soils and water toxic.

And we think our corporations will kill for a buck.

Hmm? The article says liquid nitrogen... I used to pour that stuff all over myself, no big deal.

The_Heretic · 02-01-2008, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malkavian

Hmm? The article says liquid nitrogen... I used to pour that stuff all over myself, no big deal.

There's a number of chemical agents that, when dispersed into the air, can induce rain. Plus, producing liquid nitrogen on an industrial scale can and often does include other nasty compounds.

Lolli · 02-01-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malkavian

Why? Weather control is nothing new. In the USSR, they used planes and rockets though, not AA guns. I'm sure US has something similar. And nitrogen is harmless - you are breathing it right now

LOL...well I don't know much about science but I don't like the idea of manipulating weather and mother nature. Are you being serious about weather control?

Malkavian · 02-01-2008, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heretic

There's a number of chemical agents that, when dispersed into the air, can induce rain. Plus, producing liquid nitrogen on an industrial scale can and often does include other nasty compounds.

Hmm... while i'm sure there are many chemicals (including toxic ones) that can induce rain, liquid N2 (if that's what they are indeed using) is not a dangerous one...

Wiki sez industrial quantities of liquid N2 are produced by air distillation. While the article says 'need expert opnion', the boiling points of O2 and N2 are 13C apart, enough for distillation. I wouldn't distill anything with less than 10C unless i really had to (too many darn stages, expensive), but 13C, i'd do it.

Malkavian · 02-01-2008, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lollipop

LOL...well I don't know much about science but I don't like the idea of manipulating weather and mother nature. Are you being serious about weather control?

Lol, do you live in a cave and eat raw meat?

Long term weather manipulation is (currently) impossible (too expensive), but if you want to knock out a cloud or two, it can be done.

The_Heretic · 02-01-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malkavian

Hmm... while i'm sure there are many chemicals (including toxic ones) that can induce rain, liquid N2 (if that's what they are indeed using) is not a dangerous one...

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Heretic

Plus, producing liquid nitrogen on an industrial scale can and often does include other nasty compounds.

Quote:

Wiki sez industrial quantities of liquid N2 are produced by air distillation. While the article says 'need expert opnion', the boiling points of O2 and N2 are 13C apart, enough for distillation. I wouldn't distill anything with less than 10C unless i really had to (too many darn stages, expensive), but 13C, i'd do it.

It might be close to O2, but that's still a damn cold temperature. And if communist China is going to use enough to stave off rain from Beijing for several weeks you're talking a shitload of coal burning to power the process.

02-01-2008, 05:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
Lolli Resident Fruit Cake Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fruit Cake City Posts: 1,178 Thanks: 56 Thanked 38 Times in 19 Posts	China 'will stop the rain' for Olympics This is sooooooooo fucked up, I can't even begin. I really, really dislike China at this point. ======================= CHINESE weather boffins say they have stopped the rain from falling in experiments aimed at guaranteeing a dry opening ceremony at August's Olympic Games. With no roof on the showpiece Bird's Nest stadium, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau has been charged with developing methods of preventing wet weather spoiling what promises to be a spectacular start to the Games on the evening of August 8. "Our experiments with rain mitigation have been aimed at light rain," said Zhang Qian, head of weather manipulation at the bureau. "With heavy rain it is more difficult. The results with light rain have been satisfactory." Ms Qian said different strategies were used to stop rain on different types of clouds, but both had proved not to harm the environment. "For cold clouds below zero degrees, we use a coolant made from liquid nitrogen to increase the number of droplets while decreasing their mean size," she said. "As a result, the smaller droplets are less likely to fall and precipitation can be reduced. "For clouds above zero degrees we use the seeding agent silver iodide to accelerate the droplets' collision and coalescence, producing a downdraft which suppresses the formation of clouds." China has long used weather manipulation to increase rainfall in the parched north of the country, firing seeding agents into the clouds using anti-aircraft guns. This method might also be used to prevent wet weather at the stadium by inducing the rain to fall before it reached the target area, said Wang Yubin, deputy chief engineer at the bureau. "Rain mitigation is a very complex process, though," he said. The weather bureau is also working hard on preparing for one of the pre-Games highlights, the ascent of the Olympic torch to the top of Mount Everest. "We will have very detailed forecasts," Mr Wang said. "We will be able to tell the organisers: the winds are too strong, you cannot do it on this day, or, you can do it on this day." China 'will stop the rain' for Olympics \| Mercury - The Voice of Tasmania ============================== This is scary, scary stuff.
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02-01-2008, 03:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
Lolli Resident Fruit Cake Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fruit Cake City Posts: 1,178 Thanks: 56 Thanked 38 Times in 19 Posts	bump!
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