ARTIFICIAL ATMOSPHERIC IONIZATION: A Potential Window for Weather Modification

8/3/2019 ARTIFICIAL ATMOSPHERIC IONIZATION: A Potential Window for Weather Modification

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ARTIFICIAL ATMOSPHERIC IONIZATION:A Potential Window for Weather Modification

Phillip Kauffman and Arquimedes Ruiz-ColumbiIonogenics Active Influence & Scientific Mngt8 Coachmen Lane 8696 Hanger Rd.Belford, MA 01730 San Angelo, TX 76904

Abstract:

Galactic cosmic rays have been positively correlated to the Earths low cloud cover. It is now evident thatcosmic ray ionization is linked to lowering nucleation barriers and promoting early charged particle growthinto the Aitken range. There is a substantially high probability that some of the charged particles grow to the100 nm range and beyond to become CCN. There is also evidence that electrically charged aerosol aremore efficiently scavenged by cloud droplets, some of which evaporate producing evaporation aerosol,

which are very effective ice formation nuclei.

The assumption is made that artificially generated, corona effect ionization should act in much the same wayas cosmic ray ionization, with some differences that might make unipolar corona effect ionization a morepowerful catalyzer of cloud microphysical processes and, consequently, climate. There is much further workrequired to understand the cause and effect relationship between artificial ionization and weather, includingelectrical, chemical and physical measurements at the nanoparticle level and beyond, as well asmathematical modeling to describe the observed, measured or hypothesized atmospheric phenomena atdifferent levels of artificial ionization, and, hopefully equal levels of cosmic ray ionization.

Introduction: Cosmic Rays and CloudProcesses

In 1997 Svensmark and Friis-Christensenreported a correlation between cosmic rays andcloud cover (1). They found that the observedvariation of 3 4% of the global cloud coverduring the recent solar cycle is stronglycorrelated with cosmic ray flux. This was hailedby some as the key to the mystery of how the sunaffected climate and produced climactic changes.It was also a confirmation of the long standingsuspicion that cosmic rays were linked to globalcloudiness.

Numerous articles followed studying the catalyticeffects of ions from cosmic rays on micro-

physical cloud processes and cloud cover. Ofparticular interest is the observation from recentsatellite data, that cosmic ray-cloud correlation ismuch more intense in low level clouds than inhigh level ones. More cosmic rays correlate tomore low level clouds (altitudes of less than 3km) and lower temperatures (1). Low cloudsexert a large net cooling effect on the climate.Therefore, greater cosmic ray intensity translatesto more cloud cover and cooler temperatures.

The link between global low cloud amounts andcosmic ray intensity has been published in theU.S. by Marsden and Lingenfelter who say: Theobserved correlation between global low cloudamount and the flux of high energy cosmic rayssupports the idea that ionization plays a crucialrole in tropospheric cloud formation.(3)

Cosmic ray flux variability is not limited to a solarcycle. Although the energy input from cosmicrays is tiny, as the dominant source of ionizingparticle radiation, they have a profound effect onmany atmospheric processes. Throughinteraction with air nuclei they generate isotopessuch as

10Be and

14C, which is the basis for

Carbon dating and reconstructing past changesof cosmic ray activity. The model of open solar

flux has been analyzed, together with data fromarchives recording10

Be concentration in icecores and

14C rings on trees and a strong

correlation has been observed (2).

From those observations, it has been establishedthat cosmic ray intensity declined about 15%during the 20

thcentury, roughly about the same

variation as the last solar cycle, as can be seenin figure 2.

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Figure 2- Fluctuations in Cosmic Ray Flux

[from Carslaw, Harrison, Kirby (2002)]

As can be observed, in the above graph,decadal, centennial and perhaps even millennialchanges in GCR flux translates into long termweather changes. The correlation is not wellestablished here and is, clearly, an open issuethat warrants further modeling.

Ions produced by galactic cosmic rays are lost byone of three processes (4):

1. Ions are quickly lost due to a mechanismcalled ion-ion recombination.

2. Many of the remaining ions after ion-ionrecombination will attach to aerosol,charging the aerosol.

3. When ion attachment occurs in a cloud, ionsattach directly to water droplets, charging thedroplet.

Ice Nucleation

Charged aerosol are attached easily to clouddroplets (scavenging). The resulting chargeddroplet, when at the cloud clear air boundary,will often evaporate. When it does, all its chargeand traces of the organic and inorganic aerosol itattached in the past remain with the evaporationnucleus.

This nucleus is now an effective ice formationnucleus. A supercooled droplet scavenges this

evaporation nucleus and freezing can occur as aconsequence of contact ice nucleation. Thisprocess is called electroscavenging (6).

Charged Versus Uncharged Clusters

Recent modeling worksuggests that a chargedatmosphere will have a lower nucleation barrierand will also help stabilize embryonic particles.This allows nucleation to occur at lower vaporconcentrations. Other work by Yu and Turco[2000] demonstrates that charged molecularclusters, condensing around natural air ions cangrow significantly faster than correspondingneutral clusters, and can preferentially achievestable, observable sizes (7)

The models also indicate that the nucleation rateof fresh aerosol particles in clean regions islimited by the ion production rate from cosmicrays (2).

Stable charged molecular clusters resulting fromwater vapor condensation and coagulationgrowth can survive long after nucleation.Simulations reveal that a 25% increase inionizing rate leads to a 7-9% increase inconcentrations of 3 and 10 nm particles 8 hoursafter nucleation. (6)

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Nucleation

Aerosol particles of terrestrial origin are formedby three major mechanisms:

(1) gas-to-particle conversion (GPC),

(2) drop-to-particle conversion (DPC), and

(3) bulk-to-particle conversion (BPC).

The first one precisely promotes the formation ofnew aerosol particles from nanoparticles andgives an important role to the present ions.

In the atmosphere where normalsupersaturations do not exceed 2%, GPC withouta pre-existing aerosol particle has, essentially,four nucleation sub-mechanisms:

Binary Nucleation:(H2SO4 H2O)

Ternary Nucleation:(H2SO4 H2O NH3)

Ion Induced Nucleation:(H2SO4 H2O Ion)

Ion Mediated Nucleation:((H2SO4)n (H2O)m Ion)

The difference between IIN and IMN is that in IIN

the ion is the one attaching to new molecules andin IMN it is the molecules within the cluster thatare attaching to new molecules.

It has been observed that when the concentrationof H2SO4 (or nitric acid) vapor is low, theobserved nucleation rate is less than thepredicted rate for binary nucleation. If there is athird species (such as, for example, ammoniumor even an organic species) the observed ternarynucleation rate is much closer to the predictedrate.

The two proposed nucleation mechanisms thathave been used to explain the observed

nucleation events occurring in Earthsatmosphere are ternary nucleation and,preferentially, ion mediated nucleation (8)

Ionization and Cloud Properties

Recent observations, simulations, models andresearch establish a relationship between cosmicray ionization and cloud microphysics Amechanism linking cosmic ray ionization and

cloud properties cannot be excluded and thereare established electrical effects on aerosol andcloud microphysics. (6).

Building on the relationship between low cloudcover and cosmic ray ionization the observationsare extended to the realm of cloud microphysics

by exploring this idea quantitatively with a simplemodel linking the concentration of cloudcondensation nuclei to the varying ionizationrates due to cosmic rays.

Cosmic rays produce positive ions and freeelectrons. Many of these ions will be quickly lostto ion-ion recombination. Some of the ionsescape recombination because the ionizationproduced by cosmic rays often is skewedbecause the positive and negative ions that aregenerated are not exactly equal in number. Someof the ions escape recombination because theiropposite charge would be combining ion attachedto an aerosol instead. The surviving ions will

either attach themselves to an aerosol, thuscharging the aerosol, or else grow bycondensation and coagulation into chargedparticles called ion clusters.

So far, we have ions that have attached toaerosol, ions that have grown to ion clusters andions that have been lost by recombination to formneutral particles. Some of the ion clusters(subcritical embryos < 3nm) will quickly attach toaerosol, thus charging the aerosol, or elsecontinue to grow through condensation andcoagulation to become critical embryos, thenthrough the Aitken particle size range of 3 to 80nm and from there, some will become cloud

condensation nuclei (CCN >100 nm). (2)

Aerosol particles of all sizes are capable ofbecoming condensation nuclei, provided thesupersaturation is great enough. Directcondensation by water vapor onto ions cannotoccur in the open atmosphere because the levelof supersaturation (S) is far too high to occur inthe atmosphere, it must be achieved in alaboratory, in a Wilson cloud chamber, forexample (the level is approximately 400%; S=4).

If the condensation nucleus is large enough tocause condensation at atmospheric levels ofsupersaturation, usually no more than a percentor two and typically around 0.06% then thecondensation nucleus is considered to be aCloud Condensation Nucleus and is of primaryinterest in atmospheric physics.

Particle Growth Processes

Once ions have attached to aerosol, recombinedwith another ion or grown into aerosol, there areseveral aerosol particle processes that regulate

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the concentration (number of particles cm-1

) ofparticles as well as the growth of these particlesin the troposphere.

a. Condensation: This is a processwhere water molecules condenseon an aerosol, changing phase from

gaseous to liquid and releasinglatent heat. The aerosol grows as itacquires water molecules, adding toits diameter and mass. Chargedaerosol are more effective ininducing condensation thanuncharged ones because polarmolecules have an enhancedcondensation rate. Calculationsshow that this growth rate is greaterby a factor of at least 2, and, sincea 5 nm particles coagulation lossrate is 1/20

ththat of a 1 nm particle,

it is an important factor indetermining the early survival rate

of aerosol (2).b. Coagulation: This is a process

where molecules (ligands) attachthemselves onto aerosol throughagglomeration

c. Scavenging: The process wherebya cloud droplet collects an aerosol.If the aerosol is charged, the chargetransfers to the droplet. Thecharged droplet will be furtherattracted to charged aerosol

d. Electroscavenging: When a clouddroplet reaches the clear air cloudboundary it often evaporates,leaving behind all its charge to the

nucleus as well as coatings ofsulfate and organic compounds thatthe droplet absorbed while in thecloud. Charged evaporation nucleienhance collection by dropletsbecause of their coatings andbecause they create an imagecharge on the droplet. Even if thedroplet is charged with the samepolarity as the nucleus, the imagecharge will greatly enhance thepossibility of attachment. Insupercooled clouds, dropletfreezing can create contact icenucleation (5).

e. Collision Coalescence: It iswidely accepted that growth ofdroplets to raindrops bycondensation of water vapor takesseveral hours (7). This means thatthe only probable mechanism fordroplets to grow into raindrops is bycollision. Larger drops fall fasterthan smaller drops, so theysometimes collide. However, the air

pressure of the larger, faster fallingdrop will, even if it is in a collisioncourse with a smaller drop, maymake the smaller drop go aroundthe larger one and prevent collision.This is the same aerodynamicprinciple that causes most insects

to avoid collision with an oncomingcar, because the elevated airpressure surrounding the car willpropel the insect away from the car.The collision efficiency of chargedaerosol-droplet is increased bythirty-fold for aerosol carrying large(>50) elementary charges (9). It ispossible that charged dropletscollide with larger falling droplets byinducing the same type of imagecharge over and over again until araindrop is formed, given asufficiently large elementarycharge. The following diagram

shows how neutral aerosol escapecollision because of streamlinepressures, whereas chargedaerosol cross streamlines, resultingin collision (9).

Partial Summary

Most ions generated by galactic cosmic rays willbe lost because of ion-ion recombination. Theremaining ions will catalyze the nucleation ofultrafine, stable particles (


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Hypothesis: General Statement andConceptual Model

5

Ions produced by direct current generators bycorona effect will add to and enhance thecatalyzing effects that cosmic ray ions are nowknown to produce in, among other things,

lowering nucleation barriers, stimulating chargedparticle growth and stability and increasing thescavenging rate in clouds.

The injection of a large number of DC coronaeffect ions will induce changes in cloudmicrophysics and cloud cover and, consequentlymodifications in weather conditions. For reasonsexplained below, it is expected that DCgenerated ions are going to be a moreaggressive catalyzer than cosmic rays.

Hygroscopicity

It is clear that corona generated particles are

hygroscopic and grow rapidly with increasedhumidity, while laser created particles are onlyweakly influenced by humidity (10) thusreinforcing the possibility that corona effectionization will complement or even potentiatecosmic ray ionizations effect on cloud physics.

Ion Losses

Since all DC generated ions will have the samepolarity, very few ions will be lost due to ion-ionrecombination. That means that almost all thesesmall ions are lost only by ion-aerosol and ion-droplet attachment in clouds. What this means is

that almost all the ions produced by direct currentsources are available to feed aerosol or droplets.

Other Considerations

1. Particle growth processeswill essentially be the

same as for particlesionized by cosmic rays.2. Just like particles ionized

by cosmic rays, particlesionized by corona effections will quickly stabilizeand grow to the criticalembryo (1-2 nm) andbeyond, to the Aitkenparticle phase.

3. Certainly Aitken particlesand perhaps somegrowing critical embryoparticles have the stabilitythat is required to survive

long enough to reach andsurpass the PBL throughconvection, turbulence andthermals.

4. Ionization may improveconductivity in the loweratmosphere by cleaningpollutants which arebarriers to the Earthsnatural current flow. If theatmosphere is cleansed ofpollutants, increasedprecipitation will beachieved.

Corona effect ions may have a role in catalyzing atmospheric phenomena as suggested by R.G. Harrisonand K.S. Carslaw in 2003


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Conceptual Model

IONIZATION

GCR CORONA

ION PAIRS IONS

ALTITUDE UNIPOLAR

ION CLUSTERS

CHARGED STABLECLUSTERS

NEUTRAL STABLECLUSTERS

CHARGEDAEROSOLS

NEUTRALAEROSOLS

CHARGEDDROPLETS

NEUTRALDROPLETS

MICROSECONDS

MINUTES

HOURS

DAYS

The conceptual model diagrams the operation ofnatural (galactic cosmic ray produced) andanthropogenic direct current corona effectionization operating in parallel. Galactic cosmicray ionization is greater in the upper levels of theatmosphere and only a small fraction of ionsreach the lower levels of the troposphere. Cosmicray ionization has the advantage that it occurs atthe tropospheric level that is of interest (0.5 3km), whereas corona effect ionization occurs atground level and so it can only reach the altituderequired by creating stable particles that gainaltitude by the atmospheres convective current,turbulence or thermals.

In both cases, cosmic ray or corona ions, willquickly (


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Water droplets may collide and coalesce tobecome raindrops.

At any stage of evolution, particles may lose theircharge and become neutral. When this happens,the particle loses its preferential growthcapabilities, thus decreasing its probability of

becoming a CCN. Also, at any point in theprocess, the reverse path may apply. Thuscharged aerosol may grow by condensation andcoagulation into CCN, but a portion of the CCNmight also lose their CCN size by evaporationand become, once again, charged aerosol (oreven uncharged aerosol if they lose their chargeas well). In general, however, the modelproceeds according to the above diagram.

Epilogue: a Brief Philosophical Consideration

Cloud seeding has been the predominant toolused during the short history of the Advertent

Weather Modification discipline. It pretends toinduce instability in cloud processes by usingchemical agents. Experimental and operationalworks have suggested that glaciogenic seedingmight produce increases in snow and rain ofabout 10 % over an area, whereas hygroscopicseeding is still under scrutiny. However these

increases do not seem to be enough to solve theincreasing demands of water in many regions onEarth and the discipline of Weather Modificationurges to broaden its horizon. On the other hand,Inadvertent Weather Modification has pointedout that the anthropogenic byproducts canproduce irreversible alterations in local weather.In particular, gas-to-particle conversion appearsto be the mechanism through which great non-intentional alterations might be acting on specificlocal and regional areas. The hypothesis herepresented suggests that atmospheric ionizationmight be used intentionally to improve degradedweather.

.

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References

1. Svensmark, Friis-Christensen, 1997:Variation of Cosmic Ray Flux andGlobal Cloud Coverage, J. Atm. Terr.Phys., 59,1225-1240.

2. Carslaw, Harrison, Kirkby, 2002:Cosmic Rays, Clouds and Climate,Science, 298, 1732-1737.

3. Marsden, Lingenfelter, 2003: SolarActivity and Cloud OpacityVariations, J. Atm. Sci., 60, 626-636.

4. Harrison, R,G,, 2001; AtmosphericElectricity and Cloud Microphysics;Proceedings of the Workshop onAerosol-Cloud Interactions, CERN,Geneva, 14 pp.

5. Tinsley, B.A., 2000; Influence of thesolar wind on the global electriccircuit, and inferred effects on cloud

microphysics, temperature, anddynamics in the troposphere; SpaceScience Rev., 00, 1-28.

6. Harrison, Carslaw, 2003: Ion-Aerosol-Cloud Processes in the Lower

Atmosphere, Rev. of Geophys, 41, 3 /1012-1038.

7. Yu, Turco 2001: From molecularclusters to nanoparticles, J. Geophys.Res., 106, D5, 4797-481.

8. Nadykto, Yu, 2003: Uptake of neutralvapor molecules by chargedclusters/particles: Enhancement dueto dipole-charge interaction, J. ofGeophys. Res., 108, D23, 4717-4723

9. Tinsley, Yu, 2002: AtmosphericIonization and Clouds as Links

Between Solar Activity and Climate,http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/physics/Faculty/tinsley/Atmos_060302.pdf

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Appendix 1: ELAT

The history of the Ionogenics technology beganin the mid '70s when Dr. Pokhmelnykh, aRussian scientist, started researching the effectsof electricity in the atmosphere. In the 1980s,

while working at the USSR MeteorologicalProtection Laboratory in Moscow, Dr.Pokhmelnykh continued his work in weathermodification and developed the first patentedatmospheric ionization technology and laterfounded ELAT, a Moscow-based weathermodification company.

Pokhmelnykhs research on the atmosphericelectro-magnetic field led him to believe thatcosmic ray ionization had profound effects oncloud physics. His idea was that corona effectionization could be used to boost the effects ofcosmic rays on cloud properties.

In the 1990s, collaborative efforts betweenMexican and Russian space programs eventuallyled to a meeting between Dr. Bisiacchi, theDirector of the Mexican Space Program, and Dr.Pokhmelnykh. Dr Bisiacchi became interested inELATs technology and this, ultimately, led totheir collaboration in an atmosphericelectrification weather modification endeavor inMexico, with the help of Mr. Heberto Castillo.

Mr. Castillo, Mexicos President of the SenateCommittee on Science and Technology, and along time associate of Dr. Bisiacchi, wasintroduced to the ELAT technology. Quickly

recognizing the significance of the technologyand its potential to help Mexico address its

ongoing drought, Mr. Castillo obtained funding totransfer the ELAT technology and company fromRussia to Mexico where ELAT S.A. was formed.Shortly thereafter ELAT secured a contract toprovide its atmospheric ionization weathermodification services to the state of Sonora, an

arid state with much of its land categorized asdesert.

Mexican Operations

ELAT technology has been put to work in Mexicosince 1996 and the results have been such thatthe state governments in Mexico have expandedthe original network of 3 stations (in 1999) to 21in 2004. The federal government held a meetinglast January to discuss this technology withparticipation by 7 federalagencies and representatives from 9 states in

Central and Northern Mexico that had been, orwere planning on becoming, users of ELATtechnology. The result of that meeting is that thefederal government, specifically the MexicanCouncil on Science and Technology, will fund thecontinued expansion of the operational networkup to 36 stations by 2006. Additionally thisfederal agency will also fund a research programwhere ionization stations will be set up with thesole objective of performing further research onELAT ionization technology and not foroperational results.

The following map describes the areas whereELAT technology operated in Mexico from 1996

through 2002:

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Son

Chih

Coah

NL

Tamps

SLP

GtoQroJal

Nay

DgoZac

Sin

Operational

Non-Operational

ELAT Stations

Special ELAT Station

The white dots represent ELAT stations operatingin precipitation enhancement mode and the bluedot represents an ELAT station that in 2002 wasoperating in precipitation inhibiting mode.

The green areas are where ELAT stations wereoperational, red is where they were notoperational. In some cases (Tamps, Coah andSon) the ionization stations located in the greenareas covered only part of the state. The namesof the different states are as follows:

Son = SonoraChih = Chihuahua

Coah = CoahuilaNL = Nuevo LeonTamps = TamaulipasSin = SinaloaDgo = DurangoZac = ZacatecasSLP = San Luis PotosiNay = NayaritAgs = AguascalientesJal = JaliscoGto = GuanajuatoQro = QueretaroHdgo = Hidalgo

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Operations Data Indicators

Data gathered from Mexican operations from1996 through 2003 provide strong indicators thatthe technology has produced measurable and, insome cases, dramatic results.

One of the projects covers the operational areasis Central and South Durango (CS). It startedoperations in 1999 and continues operatingtoday.

In order to evaluate results a categorization ofyears was established based on precipitation:The lowest precipitation quintile (0-20%) iscategorized as Very Dry. The following quintilesare labeled Dry, Normal, Wet and Very Wet. The

years during the period 1999-2003 were very dryin the control area, Northern Durango (ND) andfor the period 1931-1998, in the operational area(CS):

Conditional Probability (VD in CS / VD in N) = 73%Conditional Probability (D in CS / VD in N) = 20%Conditional Probability (N in CS / VD in N) = 7%

What this means is that when conditions werevery dry in Northern Durango, in the last 72 yearsof data:

1. There were only 5 yearswhen conditions wereNormal in Central-Southern Durango

2. There were 14 years withDry conditions in Central-Southern Durango

3. There were 53 years with

Very Dry conditions inCentral-Southern Durango

The equation used for predictingprecipitation in Central-SouthernDurango with precipitation in NorthernDurango was given is:

PrecCS = 0.33 PrecN + 156.6mm

Precipitation DurangoCentral South vs. North

(mm)

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003Predictor Values (Prec N) 156 185 148 212 210Predicted Values (Prec CS) 192 211 186 230 226Actual Values 246 300 244 365 324Probability 13.16% 0.0076% 12.54% 0.030% 0.060%Difference Actual to Predd 54 89 58 135 98Standard Errors 1.58 2.60 1.70 3.96 2.87

Note: Standard Error is 34.1 mm

The joint probability of these five independentevents (each year being considered as an event)is 2.258 x 10

-12. The odds that these five events

occurred naturally are less than 1 in 400 billion.

Another example of dramatic data produced byMexican operations involves the comparisonbetween precipitation in Durango and itsneighbor to the West, Sinaloa. The operationduring 2002 (and ONLY during 2002) was uniquein that Durango had its three stations operating ina precipitation enhancement mode, while Sinaloa

had a single station operating in a precipitationinhibition mode.

The historical (1931 to 2001) precipitation factor,that is, the precipitation in Central-SouthernDurango divided by the precipitation in SouthernSinaloa has mean value of 0.650 and a standarddeviation of 0.123. The historical data is normallydistributed.

The precipitation factor obtained in 2002 was2.182. This factor is over 12 standard deviationsabove the mean of 0.650:

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2.182 = 0.65 + Z x 0.123; where Z is the number of standard deviationsZ = (2.182 - 0.65) / 0.123

Z = 12.455

It is impossible to calculate the probability of theoccurrence of an event that is over 12 standarddeviations away from the mean because theprobability is so low. In fact, any event more than6.5 standard deviations away from the mean isconsidered to have zero probability ofoccurrence.

Summary Mexican Data

The two examples cited above are strong enoughto warrant further scrutiny. Had this dataoriginated in the United States, where data isbetter controlled, the technology would be thesubject of extensive research, evaluation andoperational use.

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Appendix 2: HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTALCONSIDERATIONS

This ionization technology injects ions into theatmosphere. Nothing is being introduced into theenvironment but ions. No magnetic field is

associated with direct current precisely becauseit is direct current.

Some studies have been published associatingcancer with populations that live directlyunderhigh voltage power transmission lines. As anexample, one such paper concludes: The total(indoor + outdoor) 218 Po and 214 Po dose tothe basal layer of facial skin is increased bybetween 1.2 and 2.0 for 10% of time spentoutdoors under high voltage power lines (11).There are some problems with this conclusion,not the least of which is that 10% of time spentoutdoors means an average of 2.4 hours (2 hoursand 24 minutes) spent outside, directlyunder

high voltage power lines and living indoors, againdirectlyunder high voltage power lines seemssomewhat excessive.

None of these publications have been able toestablish a link between the intensity of theelectric field and any harmful effect on theenvironment. The reason is that the onlycomponent of the high voltage lines that hasbeen linked with harmful side effects has beenthe magnetic field generated by those lines.

There is, however, widespread disagreementeven on the hazards of magnetic fieldsassociated with high voltage power lines:

In 1999 the National Academy ofSciences, National Research Council(NRC) published a review of theevidence from the EMF-RAPID programand concluded: "An earlier ResearchCouncil assessment of the availablebody of information on biological effectsof power frequency magnetic fields(NRC 1997) led to the conclusion thatthe current body of evidence does notshow that exposure to these fieldspresents a human health hazard. . . .'

There are no known health risks that

have been conclusively demonstrated in

relation to living near high-voltage powerlines. But science is unable toconclusively prove that anything,including low-level EMFs, is completelyrisk-free. Most scientists believe thatexposure to the low-level EMFs near

power lines is safe, but some scientistscontinue research to look for possiblehealth risks associated with these fields.If there are any risks such as cancerassociated with living near power lines,then it is clear that those risks aresmall.)

Atmospheric ionization technology does producea strong electric field, but it introduces nomagnetic field whatsoever. Consequently, thereis no disruption to communications or risk(however small) of cancer induced by powerful

magnetic fields.

Some of the operational sites in Mexico havefarm animals living directly under the ionizationstations for as long as five plus years and therehavent been any reports of any side effects.

Many stories have been published linkingnegative ions with overall benefits for humansand positive ions producing negative side effectson humans. While the ionization station operatesalmost all the time producing negative ions, noclaims are made about providing any kind ofhealth benefit to humans. No reports of any kindof environmental effect whatsoever have been

received from either the operators of ionizationstations in Mexico, the authorities in those areasor the population at large. The only reports evenremotely linking the technology to impact on theenvironment were from testimonials from many ofthe Agricultural Commissioners that attended aFederal Government meeting on ionizationtechnology in Mexico City last January. Theyindicated that climactic conditions in their state(or portions thereof) had changed because theywere getting more precipitation, less forest firedamage, bigger crops and more robust livestock.(Roberto Von Bertrab, AgriculturalCommissioner, Aguascalientes)

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Appendix 3: Proposed Experiment in WebbCounty, Texas

To further explore the validity of ionizationtechnology and to address the drought conditionsin Laredo and surroundings, Ionogenics is

proposing the installation of a single ionizationstation in the southeast suburban area of Laredo,Texas. Once the station is operational, a numberof measurements will be taken in order to gatherinformation that would allow approval or rejectionof our hypothesis that DC generated ionsproduced by corona effect are inducing changesin the weather patterns of Webb County.

The following map of Webb County shows thelocation of the ionization station (blue), thelocation of the witness area, Freer, Texas (red)and the ellipse depicting the ionization plume thatshould result based on the direction of 3 kmwinds during the summer months. During the

winter months the prevailing 3 km wind directionis from the southwest.

As can be observed, the ionization plume coversmost of Webb County and some of part of thecountry of Mexico. It must be noted that currentoperations in Mexico have ionization stationswhere the situation is reversed: Mexican stationscover a portion of U.S. territory (Arizona).

IONOGENICSIONIZATION

PLUME(SUMMER)

IONOGENICSIONIZATION

STATION

NUEVOLAREDO LAREDO

PREVAILINGWINDS (SUMMER)

WITNESSSTATION

(FREER, TX)

WEBB COUNTY, TEXAS

Objective

The purpose of the Webb County experiment isto obtain data that will confirm or deny thecredibility of the claims that Mexican users makeregarding the weather modifications they haveexperienced, which are attributed to thistechnology.

Concurrently, it is certainly an objective toimprove the drought conditions in Webb Countyby increasing the amount of rainfall. It is ourobjective to expand the operational side of theprogram during the second year and beyond andto continue to record data that will help us tobetter understand the atmospheric processesand, long range, to build a mathematical modelthat will link ionization activity to predictableatmospheric results.

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Measurements and Data Analysis

Data will be obtained and analyzed in threedifferent scenarios:

a. Historical Precipitation Analysis

There will be a record of monthlyprecipitation values for the availableNOOA recorded values for Laredo from1947 to 2003. Statistical analysis will beperformed to compare precipitationlevels obtained during the operationalperiod to historical data. Historicalprecipitation data has been examined toassure that the distribution is normal,using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Theresult of that test is that the 1947-2003Laredo precipitation data does, in fact,have a normal distribution. Operationalprecipitation data will be compared to

historical data on a monthly, quarterlyand yearly basis,

b. Operational-Witness Analysis

This will compare the precipitationvalues in Laredo with a witness areathat is to be Freer, Texas. The Freerhistorical precipitation data has beenanalyzed to assure that its distribution isnormal, which it is. The precipitationdata for Laredo and Freer have a goodcorrelation (Correlation Coefficient~0.72). It would have been ideal to finda location close enough to Laredo to

have the same synoptic climatologyand, at the same time, a higherprecipitation correlation coefficient. Ifsuch a location existed, it would have

lowered the differential requirements foroperational precipitation data to becomeconvincing. However, such a locationdoes not exist in the U.S. and thismeans that precipitation enhancementhas to be strong enough to producestatistically significant results.

c. Real Time Analysis

In an attempt to understand the impactsthat ionization stations are producing inthe atmospheric boundary layer (ABL),an observational experiment wasdesigned which would study how theions released by the source diffuse inthe ABL, how they affect the electricalatmospheric field in fair weather, andhow they are correlated to the CCNparticles. This first experiment wouldtake place over the area around the

ionization station. Every attempt will bemade to secure the funding required toacquire the services of an aircraftlaboratory, equipped with humidity andtemperature sensors, an ion counter, aCCN counter, and an electricalatmospheric field sensor. Quasi-synchronic land observations wouldcomplement the airborne observations.

The goals are to measure at least thefollowing variables:

i. CCNs (greater than100nm)

ii. Ions (and their

polarity)iii. Small CNsiv. Atmospheric chargev. Humidity

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Flight Grids

Ioniza tion

Sta tion

100Km

75Km

25 Km

Preva

iling

Wind

s

Ioniza tion

Sta tion

100Km

75Km

25 Km

Preva

iling

Wind

s

FLIGHTLEVEL1,500 M (4,920 FEET)

FLIGHTLEVEL500 M (1,64 0 FEET)

START

START

IonizationStation

Prevailin

g

Wind

s

FLIGHT LEVEL 3,000 M 9,850 FEET)START

100 Km

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In brief:

i) Airborne and land datawould be obtained for asingle ionization station;

ii) The basic grid is to be 100km by 100 km, with the

ionization station at thecenter;iii) Three level flights: 500 m

(1640 feet), 1500 m (4920feet), and 3000 m (9850feet);

iv) Two flights would be donebefore the station is turnedon;

v) Two flights to occur duringthe first week after thestation is turned on;

vi) One flight to occur abouttwo weeks after the stationis turned on.

This design will provide for anunderstanding of the actual rate ofemission of the sources, the actual ionconcentration and the plumedimensions.

Although the data acquisition methodoutlined above calls for an aircraftlaboratory, equipped with the right typeof instrumentation, alternative methodsof data acquisition are currently review.The outcome of this review has not yetbeen finalized.

d. Temperature Analysis

Historic and Witness/Operational areatemperature data will be recorded andanalyzed. The processes are exactly thesame as those described for

precipitation,

Required Resources

a. Ionization Station Equipment

Ionization weather modification technologyutilizes an electrical antenna that issuspended on a central tower about 100 feethigh and peripheral posts about 25 to 30 feethigh. The central tower and peripheral postsare erected on a plot of land approximately900 by 900 feet. Fed by a direct current

power supply, the thin steel wire antennareleases positive or negative ions to modifythe number of water condensation nuclei inthe atmosphere. The modification of theenergy balance resulting from this processinduces small temperature changes over thearea of influence which is about a 30 mileradius from the antenna.

These processes directly induce changes inweather phenomena with minimal electricalenergy consumption. The followingschematic diagram illustrates the layout ofthe antenna:

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The power supply will be a 100 200 KVdirect current supply with continuous dutycycle to allow operation 24 x 7 with thecapability for remote control, diagnostics andself-testing and with reverse polarity circuitrythat will allow operation to go from full

negative to full positive and back to fullnegative in a relatively short period of time.

Both the power supply and the computerinterface that controls it will be housed in anequipment shack.

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b. Weather Data

Weather data for this project will beprovided by the WeatherTAP website aswell as by weather stations in theoperational area in Webb County.

The radar that WeatherTAP uses is theNEXRAD radar installed at LaughlinAFB, TX which is approximately 40miles north-northwest of Webb County.The radars range of 230km is ample tocover all of Webb County. Additionalradar images would be available, ifneeded from Brownsville, alsoNEXRAD, which covers almost all ofWebb County and San Antonio, again,also NEXRAD, which also covers most

of Webb County.

Satellite imagery is a crucial tool forionization station operational decisions.Both visible as well as infrared imagesare utilized. WeatherTAPs GOES-12(Geostationary OperationalEnvironmental Satellite) satelliteprovides the coverage required. Anothertool that is very useful and is providedby the WeatherTAP satellite images iswater vapor. Unfortunately, it may benecessary to access two regionalsatellite images to get the full picture forWebb County since it seems that the

Eastern GOES-12 regional image andthee Western GOES-10 regional imageborder almost exactly on Webb County,but this, hopefully, will only be a minorinconvenience.

Weather stations in Webb County willprovide the standard meteorologicaldata required for operation, such asprecipitation, RH, temperature,pressure, wind speed, wind direction,etc. The use of MesoNet weatherstations in the area is still beingexplored.

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Documents

ARTIFICIAL ATMOSPHERIC IONIZATION: A Potential Window for Weather Modification