LIRA (The combined use of Lidar and Radar for assessing phenomena associated with seeding clouds to prevent hail) was implemented between July 2014 and December 2016 and addressed the assessment of cloud seeding operations used in hail suppression programs. Hail events represent major natural hazards, particularly affecting agriculture, and anti-hail systems commonly rely on the dispersion of silver iodide-based pyrotechnical mixtures to stimulate the formation of numerous small ice particles that melt before reaching the ground.
Because the validation of cloud seeding effects is highly challenging due to strong natural atmospheric variability, LIRA aimed to investigate cloud transformations resulting from seeding and to determine optimal operational procedures for increasing efficiency while minimizing potential side effects. The project applied an integrated, multi-instrument approach combining active and passive remote sensing techniques, including lidar, weather radar, microwave radiometry, and satellite observations.
Through this coordinated use of complementary observational systems, LIRA contributed to a better understanding of microphysical and dynamical cloud processes associated with hail suppression and supported the development of improved strategies for operational anti-hail interventions.
More about the project on the official website: lira.inoe.ro