Developments Relating to the Ministry of Earth Sciences Over the Last One Year of NDA Government

Various Developments Relating to the Ministry of Earth Sciences Over the Last One Year of NDA Government

The ministry of Earth Sciences deals with various interlinked and self-regulating systems including atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere, geosphere and biosphere. They function together and their interactions are complex and significant. To understand such complex phenomena Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO) was set up and it uses high computing facilities (a backgrounder is at  http://pib.gov.in/newsite/backgrounders.aspx?relid=122089) and modeling techniques for making various assessments. Such a scientific understanding of the earth system helps us to improve prediction of climate, weather and natural hazards as well as afford sustainable use of resources.

Some of the details of working of the Ministry over last one year are: -

·         With advancements in observations and modeling technology, two recent cyclones,HudHud and Nilopher, were predicted well in advance giving sufficient time to respond.  Several lives have been saved as the local administrations have shifted people from exact areas where it was forecast that the cyclones would hit

·         On Good Governance Day on 25^th December 2014, an SMS Disaster Alert system (for cyclones, weather, storms and heavy rains) was dedicated to the nation. On the same day, a mobile application for android phones/tablets – ‘India Weather’- was also launched for giving current-day and four-days forecast of weather in 310 Indian cities.

·         The then Minister of State for S&T and Earth Sciences, Shri Jitendra Singh, commissioned Heliport Aviation Weather Forecasting System at Vaishnodevi, in August 2014.

·         X-band Radar in Srinagar has been installed as a part of augmentation, strengthening and integration of network of all the observations in the Himalayan terrain.

·         Ago-meteorological advisories provided to 10 million farmers through mobiles in 622 districts.  Block level forecast for 37 districts (342 blocks) being initiated in pilot mode.

·         Commissioned High Altitude Cloud Physics Lab at Mahabaleshwar to study micro physical characteristics of aerosols and clouds and associated environmental conditions.

·         Developed an indigenous Earth System Model to address climate variability and change and developed simulations for this century.

·         For ocean and polar research, the government sanctioned over Rs. 1050 crore for acquisition of a Polar Research Vessel (PRV) in last October.

·         Deployed India’s first moored observatory in the Arctic on 23^rd July 2014 equipped with multi-sensor sub-surface observatory in the inner part of Kongsfjorden at a depth of 180 m.  The mooring is capable of acquiring data even during the winter when the surface is frozen with ice.

·         Developed Polar Remotely Operated Vehicle’s (PROVe) systems having conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen sensors and Irradiance meter.  PROVe was deployed near ice shelf from the ship at the India Bay in Antarctica at a depth of 62 m.

·         Development and deployment of indigenous drifters to measure sea surface temperature, pressure, and currents, having INSAT communication.

·         The Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, laid the foundation stone for the Ocean Research Facility of Earth System Science Organisation – National Institute of Ocean Technology (ESSO-NIOT) near ocean front at Thupilipallam village in Vakadu Mandal, near Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on April 25.

·         High performance computing resource of 1.2 petaFLOPS has been deployed for weather and climate modelling.  It is the most powerful machine in SE Asia.

·         Deployed a US drilling vessel ‘JOIDES Resolution’ for the first time in the Arabian Sea for drilling the oceanic plate up to 1.5 km.  The Expedition aims to understand the interaction between the Himalayas and Tibetan plateau uplift and the development and evolution of the Indian summer monsoon.  Four sites in the eastern Arabian Sea will target sediments for the Indus submarine fan to better understand the relationships of mountain building, weathering and erosion, and climate change.