Chinese scientists are conducting high-altitude tests to eliminate clouds and stop rain spoiling any part of next year’s Beijing Olympics. Dozens of scientists flew for three hours over Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia in China’s far north dropping chemical compounds designed to disperse clouds and prevent rain.

The mission was part of a wider scientific research drive to enhance chances of blue skies and sunshine for the Games opening ceremony on August 8 and the closing ceremony on August 24.

Liu Xiaolin, an official with the Inner Mongolia weather control office said the test efforts, which coincided with the one-year countdown to the Beijing Games, were moderately successful. He said, ‘Although the clouds were not as thick as expected and other weather conditions were unfavorable, the drill still collected sufficient data.’

Three planes carrying 30 technicians flew for about three hours within a 80 kilometre (50-mile) radius about 8,000 meters (26,000 feet) above Hohhot. The researchers dropped silver iodide and diatomite, two compounds thought to prevent the moisture forming into rain drops.

Liu Xiaolin said that while the dispersion technique was not successful in thick or large clouds containing a lot of moisture, it did work in smaller cloud build-ups.

China has already set up an extensive system that officials claim may be able to make it rain if needed during the Games, such as if a storm is required to clear polluted air.
Source: Daily Times