Research scientists to study rain formation over Dominica
By THE DOMINICAN.NET, Tuesday April 5, 2011
Roseau (TDN)-Over the next month, a group of scientists from the University of Wyoming and a Yale professor will study how cloud formations relate to the amount of rain that falls on the island of Dominica.
Research scientist Mark Burkhart calibrates instruments aboard the King Air (Photo UW). |
The scientists will use a fully equipped plane called the King Air to study this phenomenon. Dominica is a very mountainous country and clouds appear to form quickly overhead, drop a huge amount of rain, then just as quickly the rain stops it dry up and the clouds move away. They are particularly interested in finding out why.
An understanding of the relationship between clouds and mountains can help scientists draw important conclusions about water distribution and help them to predict how much water to expect as well as determine policy on how to divide water.
This is not the first time that the scientists are engaging in such an experiment. In February 2011, they spent several hours in the same aircraft over the mountains of Northern Colorado studying how the mountains in that part of the world affect rain. In the past, similar studies have helped scientists to predict storms that affect planes.
King Air is one of only a handful of its kind in the country. It’s the only university plane funded mostly by the National Science Foundation. Its main mission is to study atmospheric precipitation, producing information for scientists studying anything from forecasting floods to how best to divide water resources.
The team will operate out of Martinique, which is just about 25 miles to the South of Dominica.
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