The Hindu : IAF project to study cloud pattern during monsoon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 07, 2002

National

National

IAF project to study cloud pattern during monsoon

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 6. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is participating in a unique project over the Arabian Sea to study the cloud pattern during monsoon. Breaks between the "intense'' rain-bearing cloud layers would be identified for future prediction. The breaks can then be utilised for safe conduct of flying operations thus contributing to higher degree of operational preparedness and safety.

"We are developing techniques here so that similar experiments can be carried out elsewhere,'' the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Meteorology), K.I. Trivedi, told newsmen here on Friday.

Conceived by the Department of Science and Technology, the project to understand the physical process responsible for the monsoon behaviour pattern, the field experiment has been named `Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment' (Armex).

The Air Vice Marshal, Trivedi, said the aim was to study the gap between ``intense weather systems''. At any given time, only 10 per cent of total cloud covers active in the region with convective clouds were detrimental for the safety of the aircraft. The exercise would help in predicting gaps between these systems during monsoon thereby facilitating relief and other operations.

IAF is also involved in special surface and upper air observations. Observatories have been set up at its units at Vadodara, Belgaum and Sulur. These would profile the upper wind pattern up to three km. thrice a day throughout the exercise. An Automatic Weather Station (AWS) would also be installed at the Sulur IAF station. The AWS had been set up on a naval ship.

The IAF with a dedicated meteorological branch has been involved in various international experiments in studying the behaviour pattern of the monsoon. Some of these experiments include `Monsoon Experiment' (Monex) in 1979 and `Monsoon Trough Boundary Layer Experiment' (Montblex) during 1990-93.

However, this is the first time that IAF has modified two AN-32 aircraft to participate in these experiments. Its transport aircraft offer an excellent platform to gather atmospheric parameters such as temperature profile, moisture content and aerosol composition. Modifications include facilities for digital and video mapping of cloud imageries, upper air observations and an external probe in the form of aerosol analyser. Both the aircraft have been fitted with GPS to co-relate upper air observations with the ground situation.

The first phase of `Armex' started on June 10 and would continue till August 31. IAF would fly a total of 24 airborne missions involving approximately 100 hours of flying. So far six missions have been flown.

The area of study extends from Sourashtra to the southern tip of the Indian peninsula. By rotating the radar antenna in the air, a three dimensional image of the weather system is profiled for better understanding.

These observations are complementary to the detection of features that could not be seen in satellite imageries.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National