UAE Rain Enhancement Programme announces research areas including AI modelling

Deepika Chauhan
October 25, 2020 11:06 am
UAE Rain Enhancement Programme

The National Centre of Meteorology, NCM, has announced the targeted research areas for the UAE Rain Enhancement Programme. This is in preparation for the official opening of the UAE Rain Enhancement Programme’s, UAEREP, fourth cycle for proposal submission in early 2021. Identified by a team of prominent international experts and scientists in atmospheric research and technologies, the updated research areas complement the existing ones and build on the programme’s previous work.

These areas were selected during the fourth cycle UAEREP solicitation workshop, based on the outputs of the nine research projects awarded between 2015 and 2017, the fourth International Rain Enhancement Forum and the recommendations from the World Meteorological Organisation, WMO, expert meeting held in Geneva, and the fourth cycle programme solicitation workshop.

The updated research areas place high priority on emerging technologies and innovations to drive the development rain enhancement science

The updated research areas place high priority on emerging technologies and innovations to drive the development rain enhancement science. These areas include advances in weather modelling and forecasting using artificial intelligence and ensemble modelling, evaluation of rain enhancement efficacy through the utilisation of cloud chamber and use of randomised inputs in statistical methods, innovations in rain enhancement systems through the integration of new measurement and numerical tools, and testing and leveraging several rain enhancement models.

In parallel, the programme will continue to support previously targeted areas to help the awardees fulfil the objectives of their projects. Launched under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs in 2015, the UAE Research Programme for Rain Enhancement Science supports innovative research and technology proposals that advance the field of Rain Enhancement Science, particularly in arid regions. The Programme offers each winning research proposal a grant of up to $1.5 million distributed over three years with a maximum annual amount of $550,000.

Managed by NCM, the programme aims to promote fundamental scientific understanding of rain enhancement as well as stimulate the development and deployment of rain enhancement technologies.

HE Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of National Centre of Meteorology.
HE Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of National Centre of Meteorology.

HE Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, Director of NCM and President of the Regional Association II, Asia, of WMO, said: “In announcing the programme’s updated targeted research areas, we are taking an important step in pushing forward the rain enhancement research to the next level of impact and sophistication. One important aspect of the new solicitation document will be its emphasis on the development and deployment of innovative technologies to foster future research in this emerging  field. This focus will improve our ability to address water-stress issues more effectively in line with the aspirations of our leadership, while enhancing the UAE’s position as a global hub for rain enhancement.”

Al Mandous added: “Given the profound impact of innovation on scientific research, UAEREP aims to attract new researchers, technologists and entrepreneurs to further develop local and global capacity in this field. While doing so, we seek to bring new perspectives to rain enhancement research and support the development of demand-driven solutions that can address the most pressing water-security challenges in the years to come.”