Local scientists in Beijing have succeeded in developing the technology to deal with the heavy fog that often hampers the traffic in winter, Beijing Daily reported on November 12.

Since 1994, scientists working with meteorological departments have been engaged in the research project and to date, Beijing is the first and only city in China to have developed the technology.

In the new technology, liquid nitrogen, as cold as minus 195.8 degrees centigrade, is used to turn the winter fog into tiny snowflakes.

The city has so far conducted three successful tests on two local airports in Beijing. In one case, 61 minutes after the spraying of 10 tons of nitrogen in the air, Capital International Airport which had been forced to close due to heavy fog was re-opened.

According to meteorological departments, Beijing experiences 10.5 days of heavy fog each year causing financial losses of more than six million yuan a year.

Thick fog not only brings difficulties to airports and expressways, but also to other industries. In February 1990, severe fogs led to the accumulation of polluted materials causing the breakdown of 51 power supply cables in north China including Beijing. Some 200 local factories halted operation due to the short supply of electricity.