Scientists to keep Olympics rain-free

Scientists to keep Olympics rain-free

Beijing: With chances of rain playing a spoilsport during the opening gala of Beijing olympics, China has mobilised a 32,000-strong team of people with science and engineering background and perfected satellite monitoring and cloud seeding technology to drive away clouds on August 8.
   Historical data indicate a 41 per cent precipitation chance on that date. Beijing is keen to avoid a repeat of what happened at the opening of 15th Asian Games in December 2006 in Doha, Qatar. In a country where rain has been rarely seen, a deluge soaked athletes and spectators during the expensive and breathtaking opening ceremony.
   The Beijing Weather Engineering Office, under the Beijing Municipal Meteorological Bureau, is in charge of the massive Olympic Weather Modification project, state-run Xinhua reported. The office has been asked to prevent rain from falling during the three and half hours — from 8:00 pm to around 11:30 pm — onto the Bird’s Nest, the open-air national stadium which will host the opening ceremony.
   The office has hired 32,000 people, light aircraft, rockets and shells to spread silver iodide crystals or dry ice in clouds 50 km upwind of Beijing. Result estimates can be reported from control stations to the headquarters within 10 minutes. AGENCIES