MEASUREMENTS OF ICE-FORMING RATES PRODUCED BY SUPERSONIC FLOW AND INVESTIGATION OF MECHANISMS OF ICE CRYSTAL GENERATION

crystals per gramof air at Mach numbers of 1.1 to 1.84 and total pressures below 6 atm,and that the ice-forming rates slowly increasewith increasing Mach numbers and total pressures and with decreasing ambient temperatures.These results aretheoretically consistent with the rules for expansion in supersonic flow.In review of mechanisms of ice crystal generation,authors propose that the homogeneous nucleation-freezing（condensation-freezing）of water vapor in supersonic flow be the dominant mechanism.In our opinion,supersonic flow,for artificial precipitation,could be expected to provide an economical,non-polluting and convenient technology,andsuitable for the long-distance operation.The data obtained from our experiments indicate that it is feasible to develop anew technique for weather modification.