India plans to have permanent platforms in the Indian Ocean to monitor the ocean and atmosphere

India plans to have permanent platforms in the Indian Ocean to simultaneously and continuously monitor ocean and atmosphere profiles for long time series under ‘Mausam Mission’ and ‘Deep Ocean Mission’, said Ministry of Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran on Tuesday (October 22, 2024).

Several efforts have already been made to deploy and maintain observation platforms in the Indian Ocean, and data buoys are key to understanding the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere, especially during cyclones, he said on the opening day of the 40^th The Data Buoy Cooperation Panel session (DBCP40) is being held at the Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in Hyderabad.

The three-day event will have over 150 participants representing 56 countries involved in networking activities for ocean observation, data management, researchers, buoy manufacturers and satellite communications providers. They participate in hybrid mode.

“INCOIS is engaged in ocean observation, ocean data management, ocean modeling and forecasting, all of which are directly related to services to society. Thus, it plays a major role in ocean surveillance by maintaining various platforms such as Wave Rider Buoy (WRB), floating buoys, tide gauges, Argo floats, gliders, etc.” director T. Srinivasa Kumar.

The Data Buoy Cooperation Panel (DBCP) is a joint initiative of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). It plays a critical role in coordinating international efforts related to data buoys providing essential data for operational improvements to weather forecasting models, climate research and data validation of remote sensing and weather forecasting models.

Launched a high-performance computing facility

Earlier, ‘Tarang’, a high performance computing facility, was started by Mr. Ravichandran at the institute. The facility offers one petaflop of computing power with high capacity storage and backup, along with the ability for machine artificial intelligence and machine learning applications to further boost oceanographic research and data processing, according to a press release.