Can we modify stratospheric water vapor by deliberate cloud seeding?

Stratospheric water vapor has an important effect on Earth's climate. Considering the significance of overshooting deep convection in modulating the water vapor content (WVC) of the lower stratosphere (LS), we use a three‐dimensional convective cloud model to simulate the effects of various silver iodide (AgI) seeding scenarios on tropical overshooting deep convection that occurred on 30 November 2005 in Darwin, Australia. The primary motivation for this study is to investigate whether the WVC in the LS can be artificially modified by deliberate cloud seeding. It is found that AgI seeding done at the early stages of clouds produces significant effects on cloud microphysical and dynamical properties, and that further affects the WVC in the LS, while seeding at the mature stages of clouds has only a slight impact. The response of stratospheric water vapor to changes in the amount of seeding agent is nonlinear. The seeding with a small (large) amount of AgI increases (decreases) the WVC in the LS, due to enhanced (reduced) production and vertical transport of cloud ice from the troposphere and subsequent sublimation in the stratosphere. The results show that stratospheric water vapor can be artificially altered by deliberate cloud seeding with proper amount of seeding agent. This study also shows an important role of graupel in regulating cloud microphysics and dynamics and in modifying the WVC in the LS. Key Points AgI cloud seeding impact on overshooting deep convection is simulated Cloud seeding could potentially modify stratospheric water vapor content Increase or decrease in LS water vapor depends on seeding agent amounts