Method of modifying weather
"You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and you believe whatever you want to believe."
"You take the red pill and
you stay in Wonderland and I'll show you how deep the
rabbit-hole goes."
- FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Geocrisis is making this article available in our efforts to advance the understanding of environmental, justice issues, corporate accountability, human rights, labor rights and social understanding. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|
United States Patent |
6,315,213 |
|
Cordani |
November 13, 2001 |
http://164.195.100.11/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm
&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,315,213.WKU.&OS=PN/6,315,213&RS=PN/6,315,213
Abstract
A method for artificially modifying the weather by seeding rain clouds of a storm with suitable cross-linked aqueous polymer. The polymer is dispersed into the cloud and the wind of the storm agitates the mixture causing the polymer to absorb the rain. This reaction forms a gelatinous substance which precipitate to the surface below. Thus, diminishing the clouds ability to rain.
|
Inventors: |
Cordani; Peter (1374 N. Killian Dr., Lake Park, FL 33403) |
|
Appl. No.: |
598660 |
|
Filed: |
June 21, 2000 |
|
Current U.S. Class: |
239/2.1; 239/14.1; 252/194 |
|
Intern'l Class: |
A01G 015/00 |
|
Field of Search: |
239/2.1,14.1 252/194 |
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
|
Sep., 1959 |
Hutchinson |
239/2. |
|
|
Sep., 1971 |
Kooser |
239/2. |
|
|
May., 1972 |
Nelson et al. |
239/2. |
|
|
Sep., 1972 |
Plump et al. |
239/14. |
|
|
Jul., 1975 |
Serpolay |
239/12. |
|
|
Jun., 1978 |
Slusher |
149/18. |
|
|
Jul., 1986 |
Fukuta et al. |
239/14. |
|
|
Dec., 1992 |
Popovitz-Biro |
239/2. |
|
|
Oct., 1994 |
Mather |
102/361. |
|
|
Aug., 1995 |
Rovella, II |
239/2. |
Primary Examiner: Anthony; Joseph D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McHale & Slavin, P.A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for artificially modifying weather by seeding a rain cloud
comprising:
forming an aqueous solidifier material capable of retaining over three
hundred times its own weight in water, wherein said aqueous solidifier
material is a cross-linked aqueous based polymer; dispersing said
material into a suitable cloud formation, wherein the wind generated
by the storm causes said solidifier to mix with rain to form a gel
like substance;
said gel like substance being of sufficient weight to precipitate to
the surface below thereby diminishing the velocity of the cloud.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said dispersion of aqueous solidifier
is from an aircraft traversing the cloud.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said dispersion of aqueous solidifier
is from the surface below.
4. The cross-linked aqueous polymer of claim 1 wherein said polymer is
a cross-linked modified polyacrylamides.
5. The cross-linked polymer of 1 wherein said material is between 50
and 4000 microns.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of said aqueous solidifier
needed is precalculated based upon the size of the storm and the
absorption properties of said aqueous solidifier.
7. The methods of claim 1 wherein said aqueous solidifier is
biodegradable and nonhazardous.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to weather modification and in
particular to the use of polymers to absorb aqueous solutions capable
of modifying a weather situation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hurricanes, tropical storms, typhoons, and the like weather patterns
can cause severe damage to land, buildings, and living creatures. The
resulting damage from even an isolated event can be billions of
dollars as evidenced by Hurricane Andrew.
Cloud seeding is a known process for artificially modifying the
weather by injecting a composition into a cloud for formation of an
ice freezing nuclei. Silver iodide is a well known substance used for
cloud seeding. Ice freezing nuclei have the effect of creating rain,
reducing hail, and possibly preventing rain by overseeding.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,498 discloses a cloud seeding material useful for
seeding supercooled clouds in order to augment rainfall. The material
used in seeding is defined as a aliphatic long-chain alcohol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,147 discloses a cloud seeding method of inserting
liquid propane from a rocket. The liquid propane is used to generate
large numbers of ice crystals in supercooled clouds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,865 discloses yet another method of cloud seeding.
This invention includes the use of a pyrotechnic composition such as
potassium chlorate or potassium perchlorate which act as nuclei for
precipitable water drop formation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,005 discloses a pyrotechnic cloud seeding
composition comprising silver iodate and a fuel from the consisting of
aluminum and magnesium.
Thus, the prior art teachings are directed to methods of creating
rain. What is lacking in the art is a method of lessening the wind
velocities of a storm.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant application discloses a method of modifying weather by
seeding storm clouds with a polymer. The storm clouds are seeded by
dispersing a superabsorbent polymer into the cloud in sufficient
quantities to cause a large absorption of water. The reaction of the
water with the polymer creates a gel-like substance that precipitates
to the surface. Thus, causing an internal constriction with the cloud
to lessen storm velocities.
A superabsorbent polymer is a resin capable of absorbing water up to
several thousands times as its own weight. These superabsorbent
polymers are prepared from water-soluble polymers, but have
cross-linking structures which render the polymers water-insoluble. By
taking water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomers which readily
undergo vinyl polymerizaton, such as acrylamide, with the use of cross
linking agents, a polymer can be produced that is of uniform small
size, has a high gel capacity, is highly insoluble, but highly water
swellable i.e. a superabsorbent polymer. (Gel capacity refers to the
property of the water swollen polymer to resist viscosity changes as a
result of mechanical working or milling.)
Superabsorbent polymers can be dehydrated to a powder. When the powder
is added to an aqueous solution and agitated, the polymer is able to
absorb many times its weight of the water molecules and a gel-like
substance is formed. Superabsorbent polymers are particularly suited
for uses where rapid sorption of aqueous fluid is desired or for uses
where the swelling properties in water are employed.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the instant invention to present a
method for artificially modifying weather wherein a polymer is used to
cause wind dissipation by heaving weighting condensation with the
clouds.
It is another objective of the instant invention to present a method
for seeding a rain cloud with a cross-linked polymer such that the
wind of the storm provides the agitation for the reaction of the
polymer with the water.
It is an additional objective of the instant invention to present a
method for modifying storms such that the solid end product is
biodegradable and nonhazardous.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent
from the following description wherein are set forth, by way of
example, certain embodiments of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is
illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or
arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent
to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without
departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to
be considered limited to what is shown and described in the
specification and drawings.
The present invention relates to a method for artificially modifying
weather by solidifying portions of a cloud in a storm such as a
hurricane, by introducing polymers
into the cloud. This method utilizes "superabsorbent" aqueous
based polymers, preferably cross linked modified polyacrylamides which
can be used in any application where aqueous solidification is
permissible. An example of a superabsorbent aqueous based polymer is
manufactured by JRM Chemical Inc. under the trademark H-series.
In the present invention, a solid form of the superabsorbent polymer,
such as a powder, is introduced into the rain clouds of a storm in a
suitable manner, for instance a aircraft may traverse the storm and
release the polymer seeds or they may be released from a seeding flare
delivered from the surface or from an aircraft. The amount of polymer
needed is predetermined based upon the size and severity of the storm
along with the absorption capacity of the polymer used. The wind of
the storm provides the agitation that causes the polymer to bind with
the water forming a gel-like substance. As a result of this method,
wind based water storms can be artificially modified.
The use of a biodegradable polymer allows for safe use of the ocean
wherein the high salinity of the water will expedite the degradation
of the material. Various biodegradable superabsorbent polymers include
carboxy-methylcellulose, alginic acid, cross-linked starches,
cross-linked polyamino acids and a cross-linked modified
polyacrylamides.
In a dry state the preferred polymer may be considered a particle
having a diameter less than 4000 microns but greater than 50 microns.
In a swollen state the particle may have a diameter greater than three
hundred times its weight. In a totally water-swollen state, the
particles contain up to about 99.98 weight percent of water and a
little as about 0.1 weight percent of polymer. Thus, such particles
could hold from ten to thousands of times their own weight. By seeding
a leading edge of a violent storm, such as a hurricane, the winds
cause a mix of the material wherein moisture is absorbed by the
material causing a shearing effect. The shearing effect causes the
polymers to absorb, lose, and reabsorb water countless times. During
this exchange, the weight of the water being transferred allowing for
wind shearing that assists in lessening the velocity of the wind.
The shearing forces are affected by the nature of the interactions
between the particles during such collisions. When attractive forces
dominate, the particles will aggregate and the dispersion may
destabilize.
Example: A hurricane is seeded with approximately 30,000 lbs of a
superabsorbent aqueous based polymer by use of a transport plane
flying through the leading edge of the storm. Within twenty seconds
the polymer will obtain over 70 percent of its absorption capacity or
nearly three hundred times its weight. The winds of the storm will
continue to disperse the materials causing a form of internal
flocculation disrupting the feeding nature of the storm. When
presented close to land, the storm will not have sufficient time to
reform to its previous strength.
It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described
certain forms of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific
forms herein described. It will be apparent to those skilled in the
art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope
of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to
what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification.