The Air Weather Service mission includes the field testing and operational application of weather-modification techniques.
Substantial work has also been conducted in the past 10 years regarding the dispersion and transport of seeding material in both convective and orographic clouds.
The use of tracer material to tag a seeded region has been particularly helpful in this effort. The two tracer materials that are used most often are chaff and SF6. Both materials could be released from either the air or the surface.
The dispersion and transport of the chaff is monitored by radar, while the detection of the SF6 is usually conducted with aircraft equipped to detect it at very low concentrations. (Stith et al. 1990; Klimowski et al. 1998).
D. Designation of cloud treatment techniques.
1. Seeding agent(s) to be employed.
2. Method of transfer to clouds (aircraft, ground generators, or others).
3. Location of seeding in cloud (base, mid-level, top, other).
4. Method of dispersal into cloud (Agl generator, flares, rockets, dry ice dispenser, etc.).
5. Time(s) of day seeding is to be performed (if selective).
6. Duration of seeding in each operation.
E. Requirements for facilities and equipment.
1. Operational center.
2. Meteorological equipment.
3. Aircraft.
4. Ground generators.
5. Seeding devices.
F. Personnel.
1. M e t e o r o l o g i s t ( s ) .
2. A i r c r a ft crew.
3. I n s t r ume nt t e c h n i c i a ns and o b s e r v e r s.
G. Measurements to be made.
1. Meteorological.
2. Aircraft.
3. Radar.
4. Other.
