Annual Report 2009-2010 - Ministry Of Earth Sciences

Fig. 3.3: INCOIS MLD and Surface current forecast for 5 th -6 th November, 2009
from NCMRWF. The INDOFOS gives the forecasts
on sea surface currents, sea surface temperature,
mixed layer depth and the depth of the 20 degree
isotherm. These forecasts are also being validated
on a continual basis. (Fig. 3.3)
3.5 Ocean Observation System
An Automatic Weather Station (AWS) was
installed onboard ORV Sagar Nidhi to measure
wind, air temperature, humidity, air pressure,
Fig. 3.4: AWS onboard ORV Sagar Nidhi
long wave and shortwave radiation and SST.
The data are being received at INCOIS in real
time through INSAT. This was undertaken as
a pilot experiment for establishing a network
of ship mountable AWS in the Indian Ocean
region with real time data transmission through
INSAT. The data are used for real time validation
of ocean forecasts as well as for weather
predictions. (Fig. 3.4)
3.5.1 Argo Network
INCOIS continued to act as Argo Regional Data
Centre (ARC) for the Indian Ocean region. 15 floats
that use Iridium communication and 22 floats that
use ARGOS communication were procured during
the year. Eighteen Argo floats with facility for the
measurement of near surface temperature were
deployed in the Indian Ocean; of which seven were
deployed in the Bay of Bengal.
Seventy-nine out of 175 floats deployed by India
over the past years are providing subsurface
temperature and salinity data. At present, together
with the deployments of other countries, 621 floats
are active in the Indian Ocean.
14 Ministry of Earth Sciences : Annual Report 2009-10