250 



Dr. White. You are correct when you say the Soviet Union has a 

 very active program in weather modification. They are looking at 

 various aspects of weather modification, including rainfall augmen- 

 tation, hail suppression, snow redistribution. We also in this country 

 have a rather extensive program in weather modification research 

 looking at these kinds of things and other ones, also. We can provide 

 for the record information on the nature of the work. 



Mr. Rogers. I think that would be helpful. 



(The information follows:) 



Weathee Modification Research 



ESSA's program in weather and climate modification covers a rather wide 

 spectrum of activities. In general it is aimed at realizing the full potential 

 of the many different forms of vpeather modification ranging from altering 

 precipitation characteristics to the possible moderation of tropical hurricanes 

 and severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Other major areas of interest are 

 the mitigation of hail and lightning storms, and the possibilities for modifying 

 regional and large-scale climates. 



Research into weather modifications necessarily involves large-scale field 

 projects to explore storm systems and cloud conditions, as well as to carry 

 out carefully designed experiments in cloud seeding and other means for 

 atmospheric modification. An example is Project Stormfury, carried out jointly 

 with the United States Navy, with assistance from the Air Force, to explore 

 the possibility of moderating hurricanes. Another is our Great Lakes Project 

 in which we are investigating means for reducing or redistributing the excessive 

 snowfalls which occur in early winter due to the effect of the lakes on the 

 weather in that area. Plans have been laid for projects in the Northeast and 

 in the Southeast to fully explore the potential for modifying precipitation, 

 including increases, reduction (for example, to reduce flood hazards), and 

 redistribution, when economically desirable. 



In addition to Project Stormfury extensive aircraft reconnaissance into hur- 

 ricanes each year is carried out by our, Research Flight Facility, and results 

 are analyzed by our National Hurricane Research Laboratory at Miami. Simi- 

 larly, intensive studies of severe local storms and tornadoes are made each 

 spring at the National Severe Storms Laboratory at Norman, Oklahoma, where 

 we are joined by any other Federal agencies and other research groups. 



Although deliberate modification of large-scale climatic conditions seems way 

 beyond our reach at present, the possibility does exist that through air pollu- 

 tion we may be already producing some effects, and we are taking steps to 

 measure such pollution and to evaluate the probable effects. For example, con- 

 cern is being expressed over the possible increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide 

 through the burning of coal and oil, which might raise the earth's temperature 

 and produce undesired effects. Our observatory on Mauna Loa, Hawaii, has been 

 established as a benchmark for the monitoring of pollution in "clean" air. We 

 plan similar stations along the West Coast of the Americas and from Alaska to 

 the South Pole, to assist in this effort. 



There are many facets to weather modification and to our research program. 

 I would like to emphasize one important aspect, and that is the growing use of 

 high-speed computers. These are permitting the simulation or "modeling," as we 

 say, of weather processes more and more realistically. We now use computers ex- 

 tensively in forecasting, and their use in weather modification studies will make 

 it increasingly possible to carry out modification experiments in the laboratory. 

 This will permit refinement of experimental techniques before field testing is 

 begun, and will also materially aid in the analysis of actual experiments. Such 

 preliminary testing of experiments designed to modify climates would of course 

 be an absolute "must" before any actual trials were attempted. 



Mr. Rogers. Do you feel we are making progress in this area ? 



Dr. White. I thmk we are, yes, 



Mr. Rogers. I was interested in noting the findings that the Ocean- 

 ographer had already developed. I think the present voyage is an ex- 

 cellent one. As you pointed out, even though we have a lot of work to do 



