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| Air Force, BRIN conduct weather modification to support G20 activities. |
"This weather modification aims to support the (series of) G20 (activities) in Bali so they can run smoothly," Commander of the air base, Flight Colonel R. Endri Kargono, said while reviewing aircraft as they conducted the weather modification here on Monday.
The G20 Summit will be held in Nusa Dua, Bali, on November 15–16, 2022.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, as the chairman of the 2022 G20 Presidency, is scheduled to hold a number of outdoor activities with other heads of state/government participating in the summit, such as a visit to the Ngurah Rai Mangrove Forest in Denpasar city.
To support the activities, the air base has dispatched three Cassa planes for cloud seeding, or spreading clouds with salt, over Bali region to prevent rainfall at the locations that will be used during the summit.
"The target of this weather modification is the north (area of Bali) to prevent clouds from entering (Bali), thus it will not rain," the air base commander informed.
The weather modification operation involving 30 personnel is being carried out from November 13 to 16.
"Hopefully, the weather modification attempt will run safely and the G20 will run smoothly and successfully," Kargono stated.
An expert on limnology research at BRIN, Tri Handoko, said that the potential for rain during the ongoing rainy season is quite large, therefore the weather modification operation is necessary.
"We expect this operation to be successful, thus the president and the heads of state can carry out G20 activities safely and comfortably," he added.
The Banyuwangi Air Base has also deployed one aircraft to assist in cloud seeding.
The Indonesian Air Force and BRIN are working with the weather modification technology (TMC) team of the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) in carrying out the operation.
Each of the modified Cassa aircraft used in the operation can carry up to 800 kilograms of salt. The planes are equipped to spread salt at an altitude of 7 thousand to 10 thousand feet.
Oleh : Akhyar Rosidi, Uyu Liman/Antara
Editor : Yakop
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