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Vol 2 No.2 e-News Letter of IMS Jan-Mar 2017

IMS Diamond Jubilee Lectures * National Heat Wave Workshop * Annual Monsoon Workshop

* WM Day Celebrations * NE Monsoon Workshop * New Chapters : Srinagar and Shimla

* Workshop on Extreme Weather Events * News from Chapters * Vayumandal

* INTROMET * Announcement for Awards * Obituaries : Shri D.R. Sikka and Dr J.S. Fein

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World Meteorological Day Celebrations

World Meteorological Day 2017 was celebrated by all IMS Chapters by orgasnising

talk on Understanding Clouds and facilitating visit of students Weather Observatories

and Met Offices

Special Lecture on "THE SCIENCE AND POETRY OF CLOUDS” By Professor

R.R.Kelkar Former President, Indian Meteorological Society and Former Director

General, India Meteorological Department on Thursday the 23rd March,2017 at 1430

hrs Vrishti- Auditorium India Meteorological Department Mausam Bhawan Complex,

Lodhi Road, New Delhi

His Lecture started with observation that the word observatory was perhaps a

misnomer as most of the meteorological elements such as atmospheric pressure,

temperature, humidity, wind speed and wind direction could not be observed but just

measured. The only two exceptions are clouds and precipitation. Clouds can be

seen to form, grow, move and dissipate, and without clouds there would be no

precipitation. Clouds have innumerable shapes and sizes although they can be

broadly classified into a small number of groups. Precipitation can take the form of

rain or snow but the amount, intensity, timing and place of precipitation have infinite

variety. Thunderclouds can be awesome and lightning can be a killer. And yet we

know so little about clouds and precipitation. “What is inside a cloud?” “If there is

only vapour, it should be invisible!” “If there is water inside, why doesn’t it fall down?”

“Why doesn’t every cloud rain?” “What gives clouds their shades of grey?” “Why

can’t every cloud have a silver lining?” These are some of the questions that have

baffled scientists and common people alike. When we look up to the clouds from the

ground we can only see their bases. When a satellite looks down from above it sees

only their tops. To find out what lies within a cloud we have to fly through clouds or

scan them with a radar or better still, place a radar on board a satellite. All such

information has to be integrated to get a three-dimensional view of a cloud and its

interior structure. Historically, observations of cloud and precipitation over oceans,

mountains and uninhabited regions of the world were sparse. But after the advent of

satellites, global data became available and two major initiatives were launched to

make use of them. These were the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project

(ISCCP) established in 1982 and the Global Precipitation Climatology Project

(GPCP) in 1986. Their goal was to extract maximum information about clouds and

precipitation, directly and indirectly, from available satellite data. The idea of

measuring rainfall from a satellite having a combination of passive sensors and a

microwave radar instrument was mooted in the early 1980s, but it became a reality

only in 1997 with the launch of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)

satellite.

It has been succeeded by the more ambitious Global Precipitation Measurement

Mission (GPM) and the first of its satellites was launched in 2014 to maintain

continuity of the data. Clouds and precipitation are a vital element of the earth’s

water cycle. They are also an important component of the earth-atmosphere

radiation budget. We need to know how the energy and water cycles of the earth

operate individually and how they interact. Those of us who live in the land of the

monsoon, have to realize that the present climate models are at their weakest with

regard to precipitation. As we gain a deeper insight into the process of tropical

convection, the closer we will come to our goal of accurate prediction of tropical

precipitation. The observation of clouds has not been restricted to the realm of

science alone. Poets like Mahakavi Kalidasa and Rabindranath Tagore have had a

remarkably deep and accurate knowledge of the processes of clouds and

precipitation as evidenced in Meghadootam (4th century AD) and Gitanjali (1912).

Chennai Chapter

A talk on cloud studies under CAIPEEX programme by Dr. Thara Prabhakan,

Scientist-E, ITM was arranged by Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai for the

benefits of meteorological professionals and weather enthusiasts on 23 March 2017.

WMD-2017 theme was displayed as a special centre-page content of RMC Chennai

website during 20-23 March 2017 with a link to WMO-Secretary General’s video

message on the theme of WMD-2017.

Hyderabad Chapter

The World Meteorological Day was celebrated on 23rd of March by Indian Meteorological Society, Hyderabad Chapter in collaboration with Met Center by keeping the office OPEN for the school students, teachers and public from 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM to create awareness about Meteorology and the various distinct and unique services being provided by the India Meteorological Department. An exhibition was arranged at the first floor of Radar building displaying various meteorological instruments, balloons, charts etc. An awareness workshop was also organized in the conference hall of MC building for the students from 0900 hrs to 1300 hrs. An inspiring response could be witnessed for the workshop which was attended by nearly 200 students from various schools with a few faculty teachers. Retired IMD officials and IMS members were among the 100 people other than students and teachers who graced the function with their participation.

The theme of WMO Day was introduced by Shri. K. H. Rao, Chairman, IMS. Shri.T. R. Pakki, gave a power point presentation on “WEATHER ELEMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS” which was followed by another presentation by Dr. K. Naga Ratna, on “WEATHER ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING”. Shri. S. V. Rao, a retired Meteorologist screened a presentation on “ANTARTICA EXPEDITION”.. Dr. C. B. S Dutt, Deputy Director (Retired) Earth and Climate service area was the invited chief guest for the day who delivered a key note speech on “IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE”, which concluded the post tea session. All the participant Students and their associated teachers were taken to the open place near the Hydrogen gas filling shed to witness the demonstration on release of Pilot Balloon, and Radio Sonde Balloon and then were showed the Surface Observatory, Doppler Weather Radar and the Exhibition of Meteorological Instruments and Weather Charts, Posters etc.

Visakhapatnam Chapter

Visakhapatnam chapter celebrated WM Day at 10 Schools from urban and rural

parts of Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts. It Included

Visit of students to Cyclone Warning Cetre

Visit of students to Doppler Weather Radar Facility at Kailashgiri

Painting Completion

Talks by eminent IMS Members in schools

Activity I Supported the visit of 90 school children from socially and financially weaker sections of the society to visit Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD VSK and Doppler Weather Radar located at KAILASAGIRI HILL. The schools selected are i) Madhava Vidya Vihara located in scheduled caste colony in Anakapalle area which is 40 km away from Visakhapatnam city ii) Kesava Vidya Vihara which is a free school for poor rural children in Anandapuram Mandal, Visakhapatnam Rural Area and iii) Vijnana Vihara Residential School at Gudilova where children from about ten states of India are studying.

Activity II

Painting competition for school children on the Theme 'UNDERSTANDING

CLOUDS' has been carried out under three categories i.e. Seniors (IX class and

above), Juniors (VII and VIII classes) and Sub-Juniors (III class to VI class). About

130 students representing eight schools of Visakhapatnam and Srikakukam Districts

of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh have participated in the painting competition. They

are Visakha Valley School, Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir, Vijnana Vihara Residential

School, Saraswathi Vidya Vihara, Gayatri Vidya Parishad MLBT School from

Visakhapatnam and its surrounding rural areas, and Tribal children from

Vivekananda Vidya Vihara and Tagore Vidya Vihara, Seethampeta of Srikakulam

District as well as Students belonging to Fishermen community of Smt.Potluri

Varalakshmi Upper Primary School

Activity III: Talks by eminent scientists like Prof. K. P. R. Vithal Murthy, Professor

(Retd)., Department of Meteorology and Oceanography, Andhra University, Dr J.M.

Naidu who are the Life Member of IMS Visakhapatnam Chapter and Prof. Dr. Rao

Tatavarthi, former Head, Centre for Oceanica and Optronics, Naval Physical and

Oceanographic Laboratories (NPOL), Defence Research and Development

Organization, Govt. of India, former Director (R&D),

Bengaluru Chapter

The WM Day Program was conducted in the Auditorium of Department of

Geography and Geoinformatics, Bangalore University, Bangalore on 23 rd March

2017. There were 300-students participated in the written test as QUIZ programme

on 22 March 2017, and were from different graduate and post graduate courses from

several colleges/institutions in and around Bangalore, including the various

Departments from Bangalore University. The faculty and members of IMS-B also

participated in good numbers. There were 100- participants for the inaugural

session. Key Note address was given by Prof I.S. Shivakumara, Dean Faculty of

Science, Bangalore University. Dr B. Manikiam delivered a special lecture on

“Understanding of Clouds through Satellites”.

An effort was made to show the GPS radiosonde balloon launch from Department of

Physics on the evening of WMO Day 2017, where 200 students/staff members

witnessed the launch as promotional activity of meteorological observations,

particularly upper air observations.

Cochin Chapter

WMO Day program was held on 23rd March 2017 Programme started with a

condolence speech in honour of Shri. D. R. Sikka by Prof. P. V. Jospeh. Popular

lecture on the Theme "Understanding Clouds" was delivered by Prof. H. S.

Rammohan (Rtd. Professor, CUSAT). A quiz program is also conducted for the

students in the morning session.

In the afternoon session, two invited talks were arranged and is delivered by Dr.

Sandip. S, Postdoctoral Fellow, NYU Abu Dhabi and Dr. T. P Sabin, Scientist, IITM

The program concluded after tea Dr. Abhilash. S, Secretary IMS Cochin Chapter

delivered a public lecture on "Understanding Clouds" for students from Naval Public

School at Naval Base, Cochin

Local Chapters : Goa : Special Lecture by Prof Adam Sobel

A Special Lecture entitled, "Climate Change and Tropical Cyclones", by the

renowned Scientist and Professor, Prof. Adam Sobel, Applied Physics & Applied

Mathematics and Earth & Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York,

NY, USA was held at N.K. Pannikar Hall (NIO Seminar Hall), Goa on 5th January

2017 at 1600 Hrs. under the aegis of IMS Goa chapter

He explained as to why the projected intensity increases (which carry greater

confidence than the frequency decreases) have not yet manifested more

unambiguously in recent historical observations, despite considerable climate

warming. Results using coupled climate model simulations and the theory of tropical

cyclone potential intensity suggest that aerosol cooling may have compensated

greenhouse gas warming in limiting intensity increases. This compensation is

unlikely to continue for the same degree in future, so future intensity increases

remain a confident projection