Here’s how things would unfold if Sachchida Nand Tripathi has his way.

During winter, an ISRO aircraft flying three kilometres above ground uses its flare launchers to shoot hygroscopic (water-inducing) salts at target clouds over Delhi-NCR. Updraughts—which can reach speeds of 50 metres a second in storm conditions, but average 5-8 m/s in summer months—may be absent this time of year. But here’s hoping they’re present, because these upward air currents will help disperse the salts.

AUTHOR

Roshni Nair

Roshni P. Nair joins us from Reuters, where she was an online producer. With a background in weekend features at Hindustan Times and DNA, Roshni has written on subjects ranging from India’s amateur UFO investigators to the provenance of sambhar. When not pursuing story ideas, she enjoys reading, making a great cuppa adrak chai, playing with street dogs, and avoiding large gatherings. Roshni will work out of Mumbai and can be reached at roshni at the rate the-ken.com

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