Schaefer-Langmuir experiments

atmospheric science

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July 13, 2026

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The Schaefer-Langmuir experiments, conducted by Vincent J. Schaefer and Irving Langmuir, were foundational in the field of experimental meteorology and weather control. These experiments, beginning in 1946, systematically investigated the physics of precipitation.123

Schaefer discovered that by seeding clouds with dry ice pellets, he could induce the formation of snow from supercooled water droplets. This process, known as cloud seeding, demonstrated that artificial weather modification was possible. Langmuir, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist, also contributed to atmospheric science research, including studies on weather modification. These experiments opened the door to understanding how to intentionally alter atmospheric conditions.132

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weather modification
General considerations
The Schaefer-Langmuir experiments in the laboratory and the atmosphere demonstrated that so-called supercooled clouds—namely those composed of water droplets at temperatures below freezing—could be dissipated. When the supercooled clouds were seeded with grains of dry ice, ice crystals formed and grew large enough to fall out…
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The Schaefer-Langmuir experiments in the laboratory and the atmosphere demonstrated that so-called supercooled clouds—namely those composed of water droplets at temperatures below freezing—could be dissipated. When the supercooled clouds were seeded with grains of dry ice, ice crystals formed and grew large enough to fall out…
Read More