IIT-Hyderabad scientists set up Raindrop Research Facility to forecast rain, weather more accurately

Scientists at the IIT-Hyderabad has set up a Raindrop Research Facility to predict accurate rainfall in India and across the world

Sangareddy: Scientists at the IIT-Hyderabad has set up a Raindrop Research Facility (RRF) to predict accurate rainfall in India and across the world.

One of the major limitations in rainfall modeling so far has been lack of fundamental knowledge of the microphysical processes like coalescence, breakup, and phase change in the actual atmospheric conditions.

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The temperature could vary from -10 degrees C to 40 degrees C and relative humidity could be maintained from zero to saturation level, thus mimicking the dynamic atmospheric conditions from cloud to ground and estimate the shape and size distributions of raindrops at various altitudes, according to RF Lead researcher Prof Kirti Sahu.

He said this would help them model the rainfall prediction more accurately. “We use cutting-edge machine learning-based digital in-line holography technology to predict the raindrop size distribution. This methodology is a far better choice than the other measurement methods now in use”, Prof Sahu said.

NITI Aayog member VK Saraswat who inaugurated the RRF, said it was one of its kind of facilities in India, that will help understand the processes involved in the formation of raindrops, followed by its impact on the environment, and climate change. The NITI Ayaog member said it will be useful in the prediction of weather.

“This kind of research was initially done to understand space and rocket engines. But, now the interaction with the atmosphere is going to be very predominant here, the impact of humidity, temperature, and environmental parameters for the formation of rain clouds and quantity of rain takes place, he said.

Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering Dr Lakshman Dora Chandarala has said the machine learning-based digital holography technique developed at IIT-H has recently emerged as a powerful tool for capturing three-dimensional information about raindrops with high spatial resolution.

Dr Lakshman said the technique will be beneficial for improving rainfall forecasts when combined with the unique experimental facility.

The director of IIT-H Prof BS Murty, a Distinguished Professor at IIT-H Prof M Vidyasagar, and others were present.