India:Ministry of Earth Sciences Year-end Review - 2009




YEAR-END REVIEW - 2009

21 Dec 2009

The MoES covers a wide range of activities contributing to various societal benefits in the areas of Weather (General), Weather advisories specific to agriculture, aviation, shipping, sports, etc, Monsoon, Disasters (cyclone, earthquake, tsunami, sea level rise), Living and non-living resources (fishery advisory, poly-metallic nodules, gas hydrates, etc), Coastal and Marine Ecosystems and Climate Change. The programmes of the ministry have been cast broadly into the following categories viz., (i) Atmospheric science, services, (ii) Ocean science information & services (iii) Disaster Support (iv) Polar science & cryosphere (v) Ocean technology (vi) Coastal and marine Ecology (vii) Climate science (viii) Ocean Resources (ix) Extramural Research (x) Infrastructure Development/Outreach. MoES aims to create a framework for understanding the complex interactions among key elements of the Earth System, namely ocean, atmosphere and solid earth, by encompassing national programmes in Ocean science, meteorology, climate, environment and seismology. The significant milestones accomplished during the year 2009 are as follows:



(i) Atmospheric Science and Services



District-level agro-meteorological advisory service: Quantitative District-level agro-meteorological advisory service along with 5 days in advance district level weather forecast system, covering all the 450 districts, has been made operational for farmers from December 2009 in partnership with a number of Central Government Ministries and organizations, state level institutions, private agencies, NGOs, progressive farmers and media. A Training course for AMFU’s Scientists conducted from 02.3.09 to 20.3.09 on Agrometeorology for better advisory services Through this service, farmers will receive farm based advisories on time of sowing of weather-sensitive high yield variety of seeds, need-based application of fertiliser, pesticides, insecticides, efficient irrigation and harvest.



Upgradation of Weather Forecasting: The Government has approved Rs 920 Crore to IMD for the first phase of modernization. The main objective of the modernization programme is to enhance India Metrological Department (IMD)’s capability to provide accurate observations and advance warnings against natural hazards and develop appropriate dissemination systems to inform the public and disaster managers for initiating necessary actions so that lives and properties of general public are saved. Strengthened Atmospheric Observing Systems by completing installation of over 200 systems, including AWS, ARG, DWR, GPS sonde, wind profiles, etc. Data Processing System for INSAT 3D has been set up for immediate operational use as soon as it is launched. Out of 4 high performance computing systems planned as a part of moderisation, two have been installed and will be operational by January 2010 one each at INCOIS, Hyderabad and IITM Pune. This will augment substantially capability of Assimilation and coupled models. Increase the resolution of the current GFS to T382L64 (horizontal resolution of approximately 35Km



Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment - CAIPEEX: IITM has taken up a multi-year, multi-institutional programme on CAIPEEX. The phase-I program has been flagged off on 17th May 2009 from Pune. The aircraft being used is a twin engine Piper Cheyenne N361 JC pressurized, which can go up to an altitude of 25000 ft. It is fitted with scientific instruments to measure the following parameters. The CAIPEEX has completed 120 hours of flying as a part of Phase-1.



(ii) Ocean Science and Information Services



Fisheries Advisories for identified Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ): A unique system of Fisheries Advisories based on identification of potential fishing zones (PFZ) using remote sensing technology has been made operational. A new Tuna fishery advisory on experimental basis has been initiated.



(iii) Disaster Support



Early Warning System for Tsunami and Storm Surge: A state-of-the-art Tsunami Warning System with a capability to forewarn of impending disasters if any within 13 minutes of the occurrence of an earthquake, whereas the Tsunami takes more than 2 hours to reach mainland India. The state-of-the-art Tsunami Warning System with world’s best infrastructure and communication system was made fully operational in October, 2007 at Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) Hyderabad. The early warning system monitors potential tsunamigenic earthquakes, sea level propagation of tsunami waves in the ocean, and consequent sea level changes. This centre has been recognized as a Regional Tsunami Watch Provider for the Indian Ocean Region and started operation of Level-1 services as Regional Tsunami Watch Provider (RTWP) to the Indian Ocean Rim countries.



(iv) Polar Science & cryosphere



Launched 29th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic. During the earlier expedition concluded by March 2009, the studies accomplished in the Larsemann Hills areas included geological mapping, geotechnical investigations, polar ice ground truth characterization of different features, snow-sub snow sampling, sub-storm relationship, monitoring surface ozone, aerosol distribution, environmental data collection, biological data collection, etc. The expeditions to Arctic and southern ocean were launched timely by December 2009 as scheduled.



(v) Ocean Technology



Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD): In May 2005, a 1 lakh litre per day capacity of Low Temperature Thermal Desalination Technology was developed, commissioned and made operational at Kavaratti (Lakshadeep) for providing the fresh water to the islanders. This plant has been contributing significantly to the needs of the population of this island. Besides, a LTTD plant of 1 million litre per day was successfully demonstrated off Chennai (Tamilnadu), in April, 2007. Using Waste Heat from Power Plants, NIOT demonstrated the LTTD technology by commissioning of a plant and produced fresh water at the first trial run at the North Chennai Power Plant on 22.2.2009.The capacity of the plant is 1 lakh liter per day. Besides, 3 more desalination plants of 1 lakh liter capactity one each are being setup at Minicoy, Agatti and Androth of Lakshadweep islands. One plant at Agatti is to be commissioned by December 2009.



Mining Technology: Towards harnessing deep-sea resources, Indian scientists in collaboration with Russian scientists have developed and tested an instrument to measure sea bed soil properties in-situ, at a depth of 5200 metre. A prototype for Remotely Operated Vehicle has been developed and tested successfully at a depth of over 200 metre. As a part of technology development for harnessing the Gas Hydrate Technology NIOT is in the process to develop and demonstrate a 6000m rated deep water work class remotely operable vehicle (ROSUB6000) in association with the engineering design bureau of Oceanological Engineering, Russian Academy of sciences of Moscow. The Deep water trials of ROSUB were conducted at a depth of 3000 m in the Bay of Bengal in May 2009 successfully.



(vi) Coastal Marine Ecology



Field station for Ornamental Fish Culture: Field Research Station at Agatti island of Lakshadweep during March 2009 to develop the hatchery technology for the captive breeding of marine ornamental fishes and transfer this technology to the islanders. The centre will be inaugurated by the Hon’ble President of India on December 24, 2009.



(vii) Climate Change Science



Centre for Climate Change Research: The Ministry has set up a dedicated centre for Climate Change Research at Pune to address various scientific issues relating to climate change including impacts on sectors like health, agriculture and water.



(viii) Ocean Resources



Delineation of Outer Limits of Continental Shelf under the provision of the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea – 1982. The Ministry with the support of the research institutes completed the entire work relating to data/analysis of sea-bed sedimentation etc. in order to stake India’s claim to the continental shelf by the prescribed dead line of the 12th May, 2009. The Cabinet in a meeting on 8.5.2009 approved India’s claim on extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles of Exclusive Economic Zone. India made a partial submission in pursuant to Article 76 of the 1982 UNCLOS towards the establishment of the outer limit of its continental shelf on 11th May, 2009, as per the decision of Cabinet.





New Initiatives at Mid-term Appraisal of XI five year plan: The Ministry has participated in the MTA exercise where in the ministry has proposed to take up a set of new proposal to achieve the targets of 11th plan. These are Mountain Meteorology for Himalaya, High Altitude Cloud Physics Laboratory at Mahabaleswar, Ocean biogeochemistry of the Indian Ocean, Impact of climate change on coastal zone, Cryosphere Processes and Climate Change, Integrated development of Islands, Acquisition of Aerial platforms and coastal research vessel, Advanced Training School in Climate and Earth System, Pune.



GG/PLS/VK