The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) has set up the first phase of advanced instrumentation for the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) at Andhra University in Visakhapatnam. This initiative aims to strengthen the country's coastal weather monitoring and research capabilities.
Strategic Importance of Vizag
Visakhapatnam, located along the Bay of Bengal, serves as a critical economic and maritime hub for India. However, the region is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, including cyclones, intense thunderstorms, and heatwaves. These phenomena pose significant risks to lives, infrastructure, and ecosystems, according to scientists.
Mission Mausam and C-ART
The IITM is establishing C-ART as a dedicated research and observational facility to improve the understanding and prediction of coastal atmospheric processes. This facility is part of Mission Mausam, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Recently, IITM and Andhra University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for C-ART on the university campus.
Advanced Instrumentation Deployed
The first phase of C-ART instrumentation features state-of-the-art atmospheric instruments deployed at the Department of Meteorology and Oceanography, Andhra University. These include depolarisation ceilometers, an aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), and a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) counter, among others. These instruments enable high-resolution monitoring of aerosols, clouds, precipitation, and greenhouse gases, which are critical for improving weather forecasts and climate models.
This development marks a significant step forward in India's coastal weather research, with potential benefits for disaster preparedness and climate resilience in the region.
