Tim Little wrote:
 > The control inputs are going to be very low
 > powered compared with the internal fluxes in the
 > system, so the evolution of the system is going
 > to be very close to a path that could
 > have happened naturally.

A quick dynamic response pressure transducer is not far from a microphone.
A high resolution thermometer is not far from a thermal imager.
Is the sensor set required for the control inputs part of an omnipresent
surveillance system in the wrong hands?

I'm thinking that ~100m resolution of temperature, pressure, humidity,
condensation nuclei number density, windspeed and direction, surface
friction/airflow resistance and albedo with relevant values up to at
least a scale height in altitude as a minimal requirement.

Couple that with ubiquitous smart phones/hand computers/personal IDs
with position fixing capability and you have a panopticon.

 > On second thought: while possible, this might be a bad idea since
 > the periodicity itself could possibly have harmful long term effects.

The weather or climate equivalent of a Tacoma Narrows bridge resonance
excursion lacks appeal.

 > Maybe there could be some major resort areas on some rich and very
 > comfortable worlds where they ensure that, while it does rain, it
 > never does so during the day but only during some nights according to
 > a schedule published well in advance.

That would stop Sunnydale from turning into a desert, and provide for a
Blade Runner/L.A. Noir ambience for Traveller PCs to do their thing in.

Rob O'Connor