Monday, February 24, 2020

Let it snow: Quantifiable observation of cloud seeding




                                                   
                                                         




Date:
February 24, 2020
Source:
University of Wyoming
Summary:
Scientists found that cloud seeding in the Idaho mountains produced a total of about 235 Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of water.

 
Two University of Wyoming researchers contributed to a paper that demonstrated, for the first time, direct observation of cloud seeding using radar and gauges to quantify the snowfall. Traditionally, cloud seeding -- used to increase winter snowpack -- has been evaluated using precipitation gauges and target/control statistics that led mostly to inconclusive results.
The research, dubbed SNOWIE (Seeded and Natural Orographic Wintertime Clouds -- the Idaho Experiment), took place Jan. 7-March 17, 2017, within and near the Payette Basin, located approximately 50 miles north of Boise, Idaho. The research was in concert with Boise-based Idaho Power Co., which provides a good share of its electrical power through hydroelectric dams.

"This looks at how much snow falls out of seeded clouds at certain locations. That's what's in this paper," says Jeff French, an assistant professor in UW's Department of Atmospheric Science and fourth author of the paper. "We want to see if we can apply what we learned over a number of cases over an entire winter."

The paper, titled "Quantifying Snowfall from Orographic Cloud Seeding," appears in the Feb. 24 (today's) issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The paper is a follow-up to a previous PNAS paper, by the same research team, titled "Precipitation Formation from Orographic Cloud Seeding," which was published in January 2018. That paper focused on what happens in the clouds when silver iodide is released into the clouds. In the case of the SNOWIE Project, the silver iodide was released by a second aircraft funded through Idaho Power Co., while the UW King Air took measurements to understand the impact of the silver iodide, French says.

Katja Friedrich, an associate professor and associate chair of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Colorado-Boulder, was the newest paper's lead author. Bart Geerts, a UW professor and department head of atmospheric science, was sixth author on the paper. Other contributors were from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Idaho Power Co.

Throughout the western U.S. and other semiarid mountainous regions across the globe, water supplies are fed primarily through snowpack melt. Growing populations place higher demand on water, while warmer winters and earlier spring reduce water supplies. Water managers see cloud seeding as a potential way to increase winter snowfall.

"We tracked the seeding plumes from the time we put the silver iodide into the cloud until it generated snow that actually fell onto the ground," Friedrich says.
French credits modern technology, citing the use of ground-based radar, radar on UW's King Air research aircraft and multiple passes over a target mountain range near Boise, with making the detailed cloud-seeding observations happen. Despite numerous experiments spanning several decades, no direct, unambiguous observation of this process existed prior to SNOWIE, he says.

Over the years, research of cloud seeding "has been clouded," so to speak, Geerts adds. He says it was difficult to separate natural snowfall and what amount was actually produced through cloud seeding. However, this study was able to provide quantifiable snowfall.
"Natural snowfall was negligible. That really allowed us to isolate snow added through cloud seeding," Geerts says. "However, we are still in the dark where there is lots of natural snowfall."

Following a brief airborne seeding period Jan. 19, 2017, snow fell from the seeded clouds for about 67 minutes, dusting roughly 900 square miles of land in about one-tenth of a millimeter of snow, based on the team's calculations. In all, that cloud-seeding event and two more later that month produced a total of about 235 Olympic-sized swimming pools' worth of water.
Other observations where snow from cloud seeding was measured took place Jan. 20 and Jan. 31 of that year.

In all, the UW King Air made 24 research flights or intense observation periods (IOPs) lasting 4-6 hours each during SNOWIE. Of those IOPs, cloud seeding occurred during 21 of the flights. During the last three flights, Idaho Power had to suspend cloud seeding because there was so much snow in the mountains already.

While a good deal of research took place aboard the King Air, much of it also occurred on the ground. Numerical modeling of precipitation measurements was conducted using the supercomputer, nicknamed Cheyenne, at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center. The numerical models simulated clouds and snow precipitation -- created in natural storms and with cloud seeding -- over the Payette Basin near Boise. The numerical models also allow researchers to study future storm events where measurements have not been obtained in the field.

While the 24 cloud-seeding flights by King Air was a good start, Geerts says, in an ideal world, even more flights are necessary to learn more about cloud seeding in other regions of the country.
Friedrich adds that the research is an important first step toward better understanding just how efficient cloud seeding can be at creating those winter wonderlands.
"
Everyone you talk to will say, even if you can generate a little bit more snow, that helps us in the long run," she says.
French says the team has applied for a new National Science Foundation grant to continue analyzing cloud-seeding data collected from the remaining research flights during 2017.

"We will look at areas where natural snowfall occurs," French says. "We'll take what we learned and see if we can quantify how much snow was produced through silver iodide in areas already receiving snow.

"When we get done with the next three years, we'd like to go out and make similar-type measurements in Wyoming, Colorado or Utah, where clouds may have different characteristics," French adds. "We can broaden the types of clouds we can sample."
 

Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Wyoming. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:
Katja Friedrich, Kyoko Ikeda, Sarah A. Tessendorf, Jeffrey R. French, Robert M. Rauber, Bart Geerts, Lulin Xue, Roy M. Rasmussen, Derek R. Blestrud, Melvin L. Kunkel, Nicholas Dawson, and Shaun Parkinson. Quantifying snowfall from orographic cloud seeding. PNAS, 2020 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1917204117

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University of Wyoming. "Let it snow: Quantifiable observation of cloud seeding." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 24 February 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200224165259.htm>.


Saturday, February 15, 2020

Spring Into Slow Cooker Recipes! Garlic Rosemary Pork Chops!



                                                                     
                                                                     
                                                                     

1. Sear the pork chops first. Giving the pork chops a quick sear in the skillet before adding to the crock-pot isn't just for the color. It helps trap in some juices and gives it a nice almost caramelized crust which adds tons of flavor. 
2. Don't skip the fruit. Fruit with your pork chops? YES. Peaches add flavor and some much needed extra juice. The juicy sweetness pairs so well with the pork chops and once you try it you'll never look back. Apples also go very well with pork chops! 
3. Set it but don't forget it. Most things made in a slow-cooker are fine to go longer than the recommended time. Cooking a chili? The longer the better! That isn't the case with pork chops. Because pork chops are leaner, the longer they cook past the recommended time, the more they will start to dry out. Since we are trying our hardest to make these extra juicy don't let them cook for too long after they reach the recommended internal temp of 145°. Now that you're obsessed with pork chops, put these Garlic Rosemary Pork Chops on the menu!
INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless pork chops
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 peaches, thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
Cooked white rice, for serving
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish


DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper, then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
Add to crock pot along with peaches, onions, more salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add thyme, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar and stir to coat. Cook on low until pork chops are tender and peaches and onions are soft, 2 hours.
Remove cooked thyme then serve over rice garnished with fresh parsley. 
  1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper, then sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
  2. Add to crock pot along with peaches, onions, more salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add thyme, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar and stir to coat. Cook on low until pork chops are tender and peaches and onions are soft, 2 hours.
  3. Remove cooked thyme then serve over rice garnished with fresh parsley. Original Yummy Recipe and more found @ Link Below!