HAPpy Hour Seminar : Modeling the Microenvironments of Idaho’s Camas Prairie: Large-Eddy Simulations to inform Liquid Propane Seeding

Abstract: The Liquid Propane Experiment (LPX) is underway to explore a new frontier in cloud seeding: the use of liquid propane (LP) as a potential alternative to silver iodide (AgI). While AgI has traditionally been employed to promote ice formation, its effectiveness is limited by temperature constraints, and opportunities for ground-based AgI seeding are expected to diminish in the coming years. LP offers a promising option for extending seeding opportunities under a wider range of temperatures.
As part of the experiment’s initial phase, this study focuses on characterizing the microenvironments of Idaho’s Camas Prairie, which has been targeted as a potential location for LP seeding. Using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-based Large Eddy Simulations (LES), we investigate cloud structures, phase partitioning, precipitation processes, and terrain-induced turbulence within the Camas Prairie. Results from a January 2024 case study will be shared to compare LES output with field observations to assess model performance and provide insight into the region’s microenvironments and natural snowfall processes. In parallel, a new LP ice nucleation parameterization has been implemented in WRF to simulate LP plume behavior and seeding impacts. Preliminary sensitivity experiments are underway for both 2D idealized and LES configurations; this presentation will highlight initial results from a January 2024 LES case with LP seeding. Together, these analyses provide essential baseline knowledge of the Camas Prairie environment and inform the design of future LP seeding operations.

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