The meteorological researchers at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM Pune) launched Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEX) on Sunday. The IITM researchers, in collaboration with Israeli scientists, commenced the CAIPEX – the first ever experiment to study the effects of aerosols (solid particles) on clouds. According to researchers, the study will help improving the predictions on monsoons.

The researchers used the observatory aircraft – an eight-seater modified aircraft Piper Shine II – to study how clouds make rain. The aircraft, hired from a US-based company, is equipped with three types of instruments to measure aerosol, cloud microphysics, trace gases and other weather parameters like temperature, pressure and humidity.

The observatory aircraft, carrying the team of researchers led by the IITM scientist Dr Mahesh Kumar and the Israeli scientist Dr Daniel Rosenfeld, took off from Lohegaon airport around 12 noon. The observatory aircraft was flagged off by Dr Shailesh Nayak, secretary, Union Ministry of Earth Sciences. Dr. Nayak said, “Our goal is to study cloud microphysics and how aerosols act it in favour or against monsoon potential. It is an observational programme that will go on for four years.”

The researchers carried with them, various instruments to observe cloud microphysics ad aerosol and trace gases. Dr. Mahesh Kumar, the deputy programme manager, CAIPEX, reported that they collected data on how aerosols interact with cloud formation in the 300 sq km area between the southwest and eastern areas of Pune.

"Such an experiment is happening for the first time in India. It will help us understand how rain is made in the clouds and will eventually result in improving the weather forecast in the country," Dr. Kumar said.

Dr Jeevanprakash Kulkarni reported, "The aircraft collected the data on cloud images, ambient temperature liquid water contents in the cloud and concentration of trace gases like ozone O3, carbon oxide and nitrogen oxide. In subsequent flights, it will study the cloud and aerosol interaction and how both modify each other."

According to scientists, the CAIPEX will be continuously conducted between May and September every year till 2012. It will help improve weather forecasting systems