Euro-Expert on Hazards to EF on FrancoGerman offer to Russia v. Giant Heatwave: Weather Science aid?

Immediately after French President Sarkozy and German Chancellor Merkel just offered Help to Russian President Medvedev in the fight against devastating Giant Fires provoked by Historic Record-breaking Heatwave, the growing need to actively but carefully explore and use also fascinating possibilities, at least in Theory, for Weather Science and other innovative Technological tools Urgently needed to face Deadly, Destructive and Threatening Extreme Weather Phenomena such as the Deadly Heatwave, Drought and Fires in Russia, at the same time that Pakistan is facing Deadly Floods (See "EuroFora"s earlier publication with SERTIT Satellite Data), was highlighted by experienced European Expert on Natural/Man-made Hazards, Jean-Pierre Massue, speaking to "EuroFora".

 

- The "Unprecedented Fires" and Heatwave "which currently hit Russia", "provoking very heavy losses of Human Lives", generate "deep Emotion" in several EU Countries "while Thousands of (Russian) People are still Struggling to extinguish the causes of Fires", and, therefore, "France expresses its most sincere condoleances for the Families of the Victims" and "French Authorities are Ready to respond to any demand of Help that the Russian Government might make in order to face this Challenge", declared President Nicolas Sarkozy in an Official anouncement.

- Meanwhile, German "Chancellor Angie Merkel, also phoned to Russian President Dmitry Medveded" to "express Germany's Alliance and Willingness to Help to face the Devastating Fires in Russia". Medvedev "thanked for this sign of Solidarity and said that the German offers of assistance will be Examined by the competent Russian Authorities", Berlin officially anounced.

Prime Ministers of Italy and Poland, Silvio Berlusconi and Donald Tusk also declared to be "Ready" to help Russia mainly to Fight the spreading Fires.

 

 Actively involved for Decades in networking Top Scientists and Political Decision-makers at EU, CoE and UNO levels, former Director of CoE's EUR-OPA Agreement on Major Hazards,  Executive Board Member and past-President of European Materials Research Society (EMRS - Headquartered in Strasbourg, where it organizes Annual Mega-Conferences with 2.500 Experts from allover Europe and the World), Secretary General of the European Federation of Scientific Networks, and Steering Committee Member in the World Agency of Planetary Monitoring and Earthquake Risk Reduction (WAPMERR, Headquartered in Geneva, Dhubai and Moscow),  the hyper-active Massue, (Scientist in Physics), topically reacted to events Today by speaking to "EuroFora", while preparing also an "Environment and Health" event in Strasbourg University on September, and a "Homeland Security" Symposium, together with EU Commission, EMRS, a.o. in Poland, as part of the European Security Research and Innovation Agenda (ESRIA). in view of a schedulled EU Security Summit on October, and of EU Heads of State/Government October 2010 Summit on Scientific Research and Technological Innovation.

After a Military Naval Air Base was heavily Burned, 115 kms South of Moscow, another Military Garnison, 45 miles from Moscow, reportedly removed its Rockets away from approaching WildFires. But Russia's Nuclear Research Center reportedly was still fighting against Flames, while Airports were disturbed and at least 3 Airplanes crashed during these same Days.

Last Day 254 Fires were extinguished, but 373 New Fires emerged, bringing the Total Number of Fires up to 843, Russian Agency Itar Tass reported. The Surface of Fires grew by 7.000 more Hectares, occupying now almost 196.000 Hectares.

In front of that, almost 162.000 Firemen, equiped with over 26.000 Vehicles, including more than 20 Helicopters and Airplane Jets, are currently fighting against Forest, Urban and Peat Fields' Fires.

Over 3.000 People were left Homeless by Fires sweeping Russia's Central European Areas, sparked by "Temperatures up to and above 40 degrees Celsius", according to "Ria Novosti" Press Agency, while President Medvedev declared "Emergency situations" in at least 7 Regions among the worst affected, and, after he convoked a Top Security meeting, just decided to order "Investigations" on the Damaging Fires.

Concerning 47 Fires in Peat Fields, a Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman reportedly warned that : - "Peat bog Fires are particularly "Difficult to extinguish", "because it's hard to locate them, since they may go as Deep as 6 Meters Below the Surface : The Source of fire may be located in one place while the Smoke gets out into the air in a different place, The most Dangerous thing about them is that they produce Hollows below the surface", where "Vehicles and People can simply Fall through", as in a previous case, back in 1972, wher 17 Soldiers were Killed this way.

All known Historic Records of Temperature were beaten in Moscow Today (Thursday, August 5), where the Weather Service reportedly anounced an even Higher Heat than the previous Record of almost a Century ago, back in 1920, bypassing it by more + 1,7 degrees Higher to any earlier Maximum Air Tempetrature registered in the Past. "On Wednesday a Record High Air Temperature ever registered during August in Moscow rose to 37.2 degrees Celsius", while, in July, Air temperatures ...reached a record high level - 38.2 degrees Celsius, at the end of the Month". Russian Press Agency Itar-Tass reported today.  Average Temperatures during this period were about 23 degrees normally. No weather amelioration is expected during the next Week. Forecasts for Friday warn on Temperatures up to "40 Degrees" High                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Already since early July, Moscow had been notoriously hit by a Record High and Long Heatwave, (almost at the same time that Strasbourg's area was targeted by Exceptionally High Air Temperatures, astonishingly Higher that any other Region in France and/or at nearby Germany, since late June, persisting through nearly all July), while Human Health Dangers are notoriously augmenting by a Prolonged exposure to Excessive Heat.

 

Even before the Fires, from the early start of this Record Heatwave, Moscow was hit by a Spectacular Air Particles' Pollution resulting to Unprecedented Smog and Foggy Optical Phenomena this Summer, when People reportedly started to Suffocate and wear Respiration Masks to protect their Lungs while breathing. In addition to that, Fumigation from nearby Fires joined also, later-on. In consequence, Air quality was reportely "Deteriorating as Moscow remains Blanketed" overnight, while "Heavy Smog returns",  Interfax and Ria Novosti Press Agencies reported.

- "Officials" reportedly "urged Moscow Residents to wear Masks when Outdoors", while Smog  has "cut Visibility to 20 Meters" only, also to other Cities located at the Capital's East. - "Health experts say Pollution levels are so High, that Breathing was at times as Dangerous as Smoking several Packs of Cigarettes a Day" !..          

 

CO2 concentration reportedly exceeded 4 times the levels for Alert, while Heatwave and Polution already started to provoke Heavy Consequences on Human Health : The Ministry of Health published Recommendations for Russian People to regularly Wash Nose and Throat, place Wet Tissues at Doors and Windows, and take several Showers each Day.

 

Deaths' Numbers augmented in Moscow by more than +50% compared to the same period last year, with some 5.000 more Deaths attributed to the Heatwave, Press Agencies reported from the City's Services, contrary to initially more lenient claims. This was reportedly confirmed also by Private Funeral Services, which spoke about a X 4 Times greated Number of Deceased People during last weeks compared to the usual average in other years.

- "The situation might become even Worse in the next few Hours" according to Moscow Experts cited by Russian Media, warning about "Threats to Human Health". while the Concentration of Hazardous Fumes provoking Air Pollution persists and probably aggravates

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Massue commented earlier estimations reportedly made by Moscow's Chief Pulmonery Specialist's that, while the smog in the Russian capital has been Far Worse than usual for more than a Week, as smoke from nearby peat bog and forest Fires has Mixed with Exhaust Fumes and other Pollutants, nevertheless, the scorching Heat and thick Smog in Moscow had not reached levels that could be considered Critical :

- "We are prepared for an outbreak of Visits," the city's Chief Lung Specialist Andrei Belevsky, anounced.- However, "this Concentration [of Toxic Substances] doesn't harm the Health of Muscovites", he reportedly had claimed initially, according to RIA Novosti Press Agency. And Moscow's top Doctor for drug abusers, David Ioseliani, had reportedly added that, "according to city Cardiologists, Muscovites have No reason to Panic due to the Heat : "The Mortality rate is Equal to that registered several Months ago", he initially believed.

Massue, who currently prepares also a Scientific Intervention on Environment and Health for an event scheduled Strasbourg's University on September 2010 which might examine also the current events in Russia, expressed a hope that  Risks on Human Health eventually provoked by Particles polluting heavily Moscow's atmosphere, as it can be seen in Spectacular Photographs of Foggy Urban Areas, People obliged to wear Respiration Masks, etc, might prove to be "rather Lesser, in the long run, than some might fear now on the sole basis of some Press reports", prefering to keep a Reserved attitude, at least in the absence of reliable information from the spot.

- "I personally haven't been recently to Moscow, to be able to compare the real situation on the spot, but, in general, we shouldn't be impressed just by some Videos showing People wearing Masks, because many have recently taken a Habit to do that in order to protect themselves on many occasions. Sometimes, Serious Scientific Examinations of the Facts after such Crisis, has shown that the Real Situation was Less Dramatic than some Media portrayed at the Moment of the Events", he observed

- But, "in fact, much depends also on the way that Statistical Data are collected, and on the Criteria used for Statistics : F.ex., several Deaths reportedly caused by recent events might have not been noticed in the Past", Massue Warned in reply to "EuroFora"'s observation that the 2003 Heatwave in France had killed some 15.000 People.

EU Meteo services, f.ex. in Strasbourg (France), usually Alert People to avoid Sport, Hard Work, Transport or any other Physical Exercice when Heatwaves considerably aggravate Atmospheric Pollution with Particles, Ozone, UV Rays, etc., as f.ex. during the Last 2 Months (late June and practically all July 2010) in Strasbourg.

 Moreover, "EuroFora"'s co-Founder remembers well, f.ex. that, at least People living close to "Ground Zero" of the former "World Trade Center" at New York, who were personally affected and/or knew some Victims at the aftermath of September 11, 2001 Deadly Terrorist Attacks which had resulted also to a Strange total Collapse of the "Twin Towers" suddenly transformed into a Huge White "Snow" of tiny Particles appearing as Giant Clouds of "Smoke" over Manhattan were complaining, even on the 2005th Anniversary of the Tragic Event, of various Suspicious, sufferings, Incapacitating or even Deadly Health Problems (reportedly affecting Breathing, Lungs, Heart, etc), apparently provoked by such micro-Particles in that kind of exceptionally over-Polluted Atmosphere.
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The fact that Russia was specially "Targetted" by a Heatwave since at least Early July 2010 (together with Parts of France and Germany, etc., at a comparatively Lesser degree), clearly appears even in NASA's own Satellite Temperature Maps, despite USA's obvious preference to speak initially about a so-callled "Global" (sic !), or "Northern Hemisphere" Heatwave, or at least about Heat in "many places around the World", etc., (as it was obliged to "correct" afterwards)...

 

Unprecedented Heatwave and Fires in Rusia breaking all known Historic Records, which already killed many innocent People and threatened the Health of Millions with Dust Clouds penetrating even Capitcal City Moscow, destroyed Thousands of Houses and even a Military Base approachhing a Nuclear Plant, affecting even the Country's Food Production mainly with Drought and Wheat production drops, pushing to drastic limiations or even Bans of Exports up to December 2010, risking to affect Europe's Food Prices, (etc), occured at the eve of Medvedev's scheduled visit to the USA for Nuclear Weapons Reduction Talks with the American President Obama, and shortly before the Anniversary of Hiroshima Nuclear Bomb : I.e., by a coincidence, a similarly Symbolic Date on which a previous, also Unprecedented, Historic Mass Killer Heatwave, which had striken France back in 2003 provoking the Death of some 15.000 People and threatening even the  Independence of the Country in Energy by restricting Water needed for Nuclear Power Plants, at the beginning of Iraq War, suddenly stopped.

By what might be a more practicaly useful Coincidence, Key Preparatory meetings in view of UNO's World Summit against Climate Change scheduled for December 2010 at Cancun (Mexico), have just Started at nearby Bonn (Germany's South, bordering France), for Important Decisions on the implementation of an Agreement brokered at UNO's Biggest in History Summit of Heads of State and Government, last December 2009 at Copenhagen (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot). Climate Change is suspected to gradually provoke various Extreme Weather Phenomena, from Exceptionally Big Storms or Floods to Heatwaves, etc. However, the fact that Earth's Climate is currently engaged in a Warmer Stage, doesn't necessarily mean that, at a Longer scale, Global Warming would certainly continue to always rise even Higher, risking to definitively Alter the Climatic History's landscape, Massue carefully pointed out, without, however, excluding anything a priori.
- Nevertheless, "Security Research should  consider Environmental factors, such as Climate Change, which will affect European Security (by) increasing the occurence of Natural Disasters : Droughts, Forest Fires, Floods, as well as leading to higher Migratory fluxes and new Pandemics", Massue earlier observed in statements given to "EuroFora" in Strasbourg about a Science and Security Confernce he organizes in Poland with the EU on September, before an October Brussels' EU Security Summit (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eucommissionergeorgievaandmassue.html )

At any case, such Long/Medium term Time scales obviously can't respond to Short term, Immediate Urgencies provoked during Emergthency Needs to Timely react in a practically Efficient manner to Immediate Threats.

After a Franco-German Joint Research Center on Climate was recently inaugurated between Berlin and Paris, as French Minister on EU affairs, Claude Lellouch, earlier this year observed in reply to an "EuroFora"'s Question about EU cooperation on Environment including Atmospheric Dynamics needed to face Extreme Weather Phenomena such as f.ex.  Icelandic Volcano Ashes' clouds, which blocked  EU AirFlights and even EU Parliament's votes", that, "if it's not enough, may be we should add, perhaps, also some other Components here in Strasbourg".

He said that in reply to our question on Strasbourg's Franco-German Center for Environmental Research, curiously closed since 2001-2002, i.e. only a year before the 2003 Giant Killer Heatwave, followedf by the 2005 devastating Katrina in the U.S., etc., revealed that it was, on the contrary, necessary to develop it, as it was reminded to us by its experienced former Director, Dr. Cilliox (who has just contributed to a 2009 overview of Scientific Research in Strasbourg's Alsace Region, and is currently SG of a National Organization against Industrial pollution risks, etc.). Strasbourg hosts a performant "Earth Science Institute" (EOST) headed by World-famous Professor Granet, (a well known Earthquakes' specialist, who organized an important research pole mainly on Terrestrial dynamics), and keeps solid research on Water Bassins' and/or Atmospheric pollution, etc., but, curiously, seems to lack a real perspective on Atmospheric Dynamics, contrary to a High-Tech Atmospheric Dynamics' research spearheaded by nearby German Institutes from Baden-Wurtemberg up to Bavaria. This gap has obviously to be filled, particularly if Granet's claim to boost Strasbourg-based Earth Science Institute is really fullfiled along the lines highlighted by the European Foundation of Science (EFS, Headquartered in Strasbourg)

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EU Commissioner on Humanitarian and Crisis' response issues, Kristalina Georgieva, speaking  to "EuroFora" last July at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, already confirmed her interest for the necessary development of High-Tech, Space and other instruments used in case of Urgencies to face Natural or Man-made Hazards, (See Georgieva's replies to our Questions in one out of 2 differend publications). While also Climate EU Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, (the famous former Hegerie of UN Climate Change Heads of State/Government Copenhagen Summit of December 2009 (comp.Hedegaard's replies to Questions raised by "EuroFora" afterwards at EU Parliament in Strasbourg on April 2010, and our NewsReports from Copenhagen), stressed her wish to actively contribuite to boost EU's "Green" High Tech tools.

 

Among them, EU Program on "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security" (GMES), including  Space-related activities, is strongly supported by EU Commission's vice-President Antonio Tajani, in charge of Industry and Space, as he stressed in reply to "EuroFora"s questions earlier at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, (See http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/tajaniindustrygalileo.html ), who recently illustrated further his interest by recently visiting also ESA-ESRIN's Earth Observation Headquarters, in Frascati, Italy, responsible for the coordination and exploitation of GMES Data.

Meanwhile, EU Parliament has strongly supported, in a Resolution adopted in Strasbourg already since March 2010, a call lauchned by the new President of its Security and Defence Committee, Arnould Danjean, EU Rapporteur, to develop a "Strategic Autonomy" for Europe's "dual", Military and/or Civil Protection needs, including in oder to protect EU Citizens and Society from Major Natural or Man-made Catastrophes. (See EU Security and Defence Rapporteur, Danjean's statements to "EuroFora", alreadu sent earlier to Subscribers/Donors).                                                                           

Perhaps, most important for the immediate Future : A timely EU COST ("Cooperation on Science and Technology") supported Conference on "Extreme Environment Events" is organized by the European Science Foundation (ESF : Headquarted in Strasbourg) at Cambridge (UK) on 13-17 December 2010.

 

Questioned by "EuroFora" if, even in "Science Fiction", Europe and the entire Humanity couldn't even Dream in the Future, but would be really condemned  to always be abandoned as totally Unarmed and Helpless Victims, without any Timely, Efficient practical Protection whatever, (fex. of Human Health, Food and/or Home Safety, Energy Independence, etc) to face alone all Urgencies and Crisis which may be provoked by some exceptionally Dangerous, Destructive and even Deadly Extreme Weather Phenomena, such as Giant Heatwaves, Storms, Floods, etc", or if, on the contrary, we could imagine any Scientific and Technological Research and Development of Tools more or less able to protect People, f.ex. by inventing ways to prevent, diminish or (at least partially) reverse such Negative Immediate Threats, through some eventually innovating Inventions in the so-called "Weather Sciences", f.ex. by studying  "Atmospheric Dynamics", etc., the experienced PanEuropean Expert replied, carefully but Positively "Yes" :

- "In pure Theory, it might eventually be possible to try to do something : F.ex. there are People who have suggested to send some Gas to the Atmosphere on Rays, or to launch small Rockets against Clouds, Fogs or Rain, some Space Probes to try to alleviate extreme Temperatures locally, etc".
 
- "At least partly, in a certain sens, it already exists : F.ex. when China launched some Small Rockets against Foggy Rainy Clouds at the beginning of the Olympic Games in 2008, or, elsewhere, in attempts to protect Local Agricultural Production against some Hailstorms, etc", he observed.

- But, even if "Today, you can always more or less Play some games with Weather, however, it's Difficult, and it may also be Dangerous, because we don't know yet what other Consequences it might have", he warned.

- However, if such attemps remain limited just into protecting f.ex. some Harvests in certain Local areas, then there is no problem, he concluded for the time being.

 - At any case, EU's "Security Research should (also) consider Environmental factors, such as Climate Change, which will affect European Security (by) increasing the occurence of Natural Disasters : Droughts, Forest Fires, Floods, as well as leading to higher Migratory fluxes and new Pandemics", Massue had already warned in a differend Document on a forthcoming PanEuropean Scientific Conference in Poland, handed over to "EuroFora" earlier.

China reportedly anounced officially, since November 2009, that it had succeeded to provoke "Snowfalls amid efforts to fight against persisting Drought" : - "We shall not miss an opportunity to provoke -Rain and/or Snow-Falls, because Pekin is suddering from a persisting Drought", had reportedly declared, during a Public event, Zang Qiang, the Director of Pekin's "Office for Environment Modification"

Moreover, "Chinese Meteorologists provoke Rains since several Years, by injecting certain Chemical substances into Clouds", according to Press reports.

 

The spectacular "Weather-Maker" role played by famous actor Sean Connery, starring as a Maverick Scientist able to Manipulate Weather Phenomena for selfish power games, as erarly as in the 1998 Film "Avengers",  may no more remain an totaly Imaginary, Science-Fiction...

China, and several other Countries, have also spearheaded in the Past UNO's International Convention against "Hostile Modification of Environment", known as ENMOD, which outlaws any provocation of aggressive Floods, Droughts, Heatwaves, Storms, Earthquakes and other gravely Damaging and/or Life Threatening Adverse Environmental Upheavals."ENMOD" was signed at nearby Geneva's UNO European Headquarters as early as since 1976 and entered into force from 1978, i.e. much more than 30 Years earlier !

After huge Killer Storm "Katrina" on 2005, American Media were full of anouncements about the creation of this or that "Weather Science" Research Labo throughout all the U.S.A., as "EuroFora" observed, during a visit at UNO's Headquarters in New York as well as to Chicago, while People were called and rushing to fight against ths Disaster.

 

According to "China Daily", Beijing Authorities had already started "Experiments" at least since 2005, using Airplanes, Rockets and even anti-aircraft Artillery, f.ex. to modify Weather related to Rains, Hailstorms, etc. (f.ex. to spread "Silver Iodine and dry ice High into the Air", etc).

 

Among various other examples, f.ex.,  on August 8, 2008, "China fired over 1.000 Rain Dispersal Rockets to blow away Rain Clouds for a smooth Opening of the Olympic Games", according to Press Reports.

 

In order to provoke Rainfalls at a desired Moment and Area, according to Xinhua News Agency, China "tested" on 2007 a method by "Firing Silver Iodine or sumilar Catalysts from Artillery or Rockets, based on the Theory that the Chemical will cause the Rain to Fall while the clouds are still a long way from Beijing".

Today, "Cloud Seeding is a common technique intended to Trigger Rain, but evidence on its Effectiveness is Mixed. ...It is used in several different Countries, including the U.S, ...China, and Russia. In ..China there is actually a perceived dependency upon it in Dry regions, ...increasing annual Rainfall by firing silver iodide Rockets into the sky where rain is desired. In the U.S., dry ice or silver iodide may be injected into a cloud by Aircraft, or even from the Ground, in an attempt to increase Rainfall; there are even Companies dedicated to this form of Weather Modification", according to Wikipedia.

Other eventual Weather Modification methods, in addition to Cloud-Seeding (frequent in China), are said to try to use the Ionosphere via some High Frequency Waves, or Anti-Hail Canons, attempt to monitor Tropical Storms, eventually propulse ionised Oxygen Gas beams towards the Sky to search contact with Humidified layers, to trigger friction for Energy, (which might, however, provoke Heat and disperse Clouds, etc), tested on 2009 in Russia, etc, according to such sources.

 

Thus, on August 8, 2008, in "the largest Rain Dispersal operation in China", aimed "to Blow away Rain Clouds for the smooth opening ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games , "we fired a total of 1,104 Rain-Dispersal Rockets from 21 Sites in the city ...which successfully intercepted a stretch of Rain belt from moving towards the stadium," said (the) head of the Beijing Municipal Meteorological Bureau (BMB)", to succesfully reverse a "Rainy Weather Forecast for the Olympic Night, and ... 90 percent of Humidity rate", Xinhua reported."Under such a weather condition, a small Bubble in the rain cloud would have Triggered Rainfall, let alone a Lightening," reportedly said Chinese Experts, who "had Monitored the Movement of the Rain Cloud", according to converging Press Reports.

 

Heatwaves, (as f.ex. that which stroke against France back on 2003, killing 15.000 People, endangering the Energetic Independence of the Country by provoking Drought which limited Water needed to refresh Nuclear Power Plants, and damaging naturally also the Agricultural Production), may be provoked by some Atmospheric Depressions combined to AntiCyclones, which bring Warm Air Layers, as well as Rays, right Down towards the Surface of the Earth, while pushingo0utwards and keeping away all the Surrounding Cooler Air Layers, as if it "Isolated" a Geographic Area for a certain Period of Time.

 

(Such Atmospheric events might be combined also with certain presentations made by some Meteorologists, who find, f.ex. in the Russian 2010 Heatwave an astonishingly SIMILAR "PATTERN" with that of the extremely Deadly 2003 French Heatwave : Both consist in Hot Air exceptionaly coming from Southern Desertic Regions : Egypt-Sudan-S/E Turkey-Saudi Arabia-Iraq-Iran for Russia now on 2010, as it was Sahara desert for France back in 2003. Exceptionally, these Hot Air Layers seem "Blocked" over the Targetted Country, where a kind of Anticyclonic Pressure keeps pushing Out any Neighbouring Cooler Air masses and Rainy Clouds from the EU or Eastern Asia, hindered to enter the targetted area).

 

While this Weather Phenomenon is quite well known since the Begining of the 20th Century (as Early as since 1905, according to some sources), on the contrary, the Mechanisms which trigger the Atmospheric Dynamics provoking such AntiCyclones, eventually combined with nearby Atmospheric Depressions, etc, and possible ways to warn, prevent, diminish, or even  try to partially or totally reverse their consequences, are less known, at least in the Public domain.

However, some Experts in Meteorology have earlier suggested that a Mechanism triggering such Heatwave-provoking AntiCyclonic Pressure might be f.ex. some Lighting, Waves or Ray striking the Upper side of Warm Air Mass Layers, which are usually flying High (because they are Less heavy, Lighter), above Cooler Air Mass Layers (usually flying underneath, because they are comparatively "Heavier"), in order to oblige the 1st to take a dive Downwards, dispersing Cooler Air Layers which initially were underneath it, and keeping them away by exerting a constant Atmospheric Pressure, for as long as the Heatwave remains.

 

- "The U.S. pioneered Cloud-Seeding in the 1940s and '50s", according to "USA Today",  "but the Government has cooled on its effectiveness, leaving the field to specialist companies", later-on. However, in the Past, China had notoriously accused the USA to Artificially provoke Rainfalls, during the 1961-1973 Vietnam War, allegedly in order to harm North Vietnam's Harvest, restricting Food for the Communist Guerilla then active at South Vietnam, (and this accusation, reportedly was partly behind the Motivation of at least some of the initial participants to the confection of UNO's "ENMOD" Treaty, back in 1976-1978, aiming to clearly outlaw, under an International Agreement, any kind of attempt to Modify the Natural Environment for Hostile Aims, with a purpose to Damage another Country).

But, Now, it's obvious that, if such or any other similar Artificial ways to Trigger Rainfalls might eventually exist (or be created for the 1st time) in real practice,  at a sufficiently Efficient level, then, it would certainly be of a Great Help, Urgently Needed  these Days to .. protect Russian People's Health and Lives, and save Russia's Forests, Agriculture, etc., while also allowing to Airports and Planes to start operating anew Safely ! 

Naturally, it would also be, Today, an Important Contribution to the efforts of Europe and of the International Community to POSITIVELY Modify the Environment, whenever it might be needed in order to Protect innocent People and Peaceful Countries, Businesses, Administrations, Energy produciong Power Plants, Athletes, etc. from at least some Adverse Extreme Weather Phenomena, and/or eventual Weather-Terrorism and other Violent Aggressions or Threats (if this ever became technically possible), and would certainly be a Great Contribution both to Science and Technology Development and Transfert, and to Humanity's Well-being.

- Already, since 2006, "USA Today" concluded that, f.ex., "Most Farmers see the Benefit of Cloud-Seeding and Welcome Chemically-Induced Rains", among several other various Weather Modification eventualy existing, or due to be developed or invented.

However, as nothing certain is cleary known in public until now, all that remains, at least for the moment and for its greater part, simple "Wishful Thinking", and Hypothetical (even if interesting or perhaps even stimulating) Speculations... , while Russian a.o. People's Vital Needs are obviously Urgent.
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Notoriously, France and Germany, as well as other more or less interested European Countries and probably EU itself, have been recently (i.e. from the second half of 2008, and on 2009-2010) examining a proposal made by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to create some kind of PanEuropean Security and Defence mechanism, which could include also modern Challenges such as Terrorism, WMD proliferation risks, BioWeapons, Epidemics, Natural or Man-made Disasters, etc., as Russian Foreign Minister Sergyei Lavrov, recently highlighted during his latest visit to the CoE in Strasbourg.

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- But, concerning "Forest Fires, the situation might be Harder in Russia than in EU Countries, because Russian Forests spread over immense, Huge Areas, which are more Difficult to protect by Preventive Measures, to the point that sometimes Russian Authorities in the Past learned about Fires only by Satellite Photo Maps !", he observed.

Regarding the Means, in People and Equipment needed to succesfully fight against Forest Fires, Massue reminded that mainstream EU Countries, including f.ex. France, as well as EU Parliament, etc. have recently called to "Mutualise" available Forces by joining them all together, both for reasons of Economy and Efficiency.
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+ Meanwhile, another Consequence of the Moscow Heatwave is that Wheat Prices, which have reportedly "augmented already over +50% since June" 2010, soared later Today at Chicago's StockMarket jumbing up to +8 %, after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin anounced a Ban of Wheat and Corn Exports from the Country, whose production is estimated to drop after Record High Temperatures, Fires and Drought.


Russia (50), together with Fellow Neighbouring Ukraine (14) , Kazakhstan (17) and Uzbekistan (6), reaching some 87 million metric Tons since 2007, is No 2 Wheat Producer in the World, after China (+110), closely followed by U.S.A. (+54) and Canada (+21)  with +75 in all, as well as India (+74), but also Pakistan, Turkey and Iran producing +57 in all, etc., while EU tops with +120, if its Member Countries are taken all together.  

Also India and Pakistan currently face Extreme Rain and Flood Problems, while, on the contrary, USA's Wheat and Corn Harvest might be Higher this Year, observers noted.

Other significant Wheat Producer Countries are Argentina (+14), Brazil (+4) and Mexico (+3)  with +21 if taken all together, Egypt (+7,5), Ethopia (+3), Algeria (+2,6) and Saudi Arabia (+2,7) with +16  in all, Australia (+9) and Afghanistan (+4).


World Food Organization FAO warned that, "should the Drought in the Russian Federation continue, it could pose Problems for Winter Plantings...with potentially Serious Implications for World Wheat supplies in 2011/12".


But, as things stand today, FAO, despite noticing that many Russian Farmers' Wheat Grains "have been Ruined by Excessive Heat", and that "Devastating Drought afflicting Crops in the Russian Federation, (is) coupled with anticipated Lower outputs in Kazakhstan and Ukraine", "in addition (with) an expected production Decline in Canada", nevertheless, also observed that "after 2 consecutive Years of Record Crops, World Inventories have been replenished Sufficiently to cover the current anticipated production shortfall. Even more importantly, Stocks held by the traditional wheat Exporters, the main Buffer against Unexpected Events, remain Ample".

F.ex., while World Wheat Supply is due to grow from 827 to 873 million tones between 2008/09 and the first half of 2010/2011, and ending Stocks from 178 to 194, while Utilisation will just grow from 649 to 675, the World "Stock-to-Use" Ration % is expected to ameliorate from 26 % to 29 %, (i.e. + 3% more Stocked Wheat), FAO anounced.

Therefore, even if "a Tighter Supply situation" during 2010 "increases the likelihood of Higher Wheat Prices, compared to the previous season. However, fears of a global Food Crisis are Unwarranted at this Stage", FAO estimated.