Why in News?
The Open-Field Observatory of the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) was inaugurated at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, on May 1, 2026 by Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It is a major national project aimed at revolutionising coastal weather forecasting and monsoon research in India.
About
- Mission Mausam: It is a critical component of the Central Government’s "Mission Mausam", which focuses on building a "Weather Ready" India.
- Monsoon Warnings: The launch was accompanied by a significant update from the Earth Sciences Secretary regarding El Niño conditions, which are expected to develop earlier than usual and potentially impact the 2026 monsoon by July-August.
- First Observations: Within hours of its opening, the observatory recorded data from the first seasonal thunderstorm in Visakhapatnam, marking its immediate operational success.
Infrastructure & Investment
- Total Project Cost: Estimated at ₹180 crore, making it a high-priority scientific installation.
- Collaboration: Established by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, in partnership with Andhra University.
- Equipment: The site currently hosts ₹60 crore worth of advanced instruments, with another ₹120 crore earmarked for future expansion.
Scientific Capabilities
- Advanced Sensors: Equipped with Aerosol Mass Spectrometers, Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counters, Ceilometers, and Greenhouse Gas Analysers.
- Integrated Monitoring: Designed to monitor rainfall microphysics, atmospheric turbulence, and wind speeds in real-time.
- Upcoming Tech: Plans are in place to install Wind Lidars, Doppler Weather Radars, and Phase Array Radars to capture high-resolution data on severe weather processes.
Primary Goals
- Improved Forecasting: The high-resolution data will be fed into national Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models to improve their accuracy.
- Cyclone Warnings: Strengthens early warning systems for cyclones and extreme weather events along the east coast.
- Climate Research: Provides a platform for process-level diagnostics of monsoon convection and data assimilation experiments.
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