Latest news with #MinistryofEarthSciences
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Mission Samudrayaan: India inches closer to sending humans into ocean's darkest depths, key details inside
India just got one step closer to sending people deep into the ocean! Scientists have completed a major part of the Samudrayaan project , a human mission to explore the ocean floor, by successfully welding the crew pod of the deep-sea vehicle, Matsya-6000 . What is Samudrayaan? Samudrayaan is India's first manned deep ocean mission, run by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The goal? To send three people up to 6 kilometres below sea level using a special vehicle that can handle extreme underwater conditions, crushing pressure, cold temperatures, and total darkness. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Operations Management PGDM Artificial Intelligence Data Science Digital Marketing CXO Finance Public Policy healthcare Cybersecurity Data Science Healthcare others Technology Management Project Management Product Management Leadership Data Analytics Design Thinking MCA Degree Others MBA Skills you'll gain: Quality Management & Lean Six Sigma Analytical Tools Supply Chain Management & Strategies Service Operations Management Duration: 10 Months IIM Lucknow IIML Executive Programme in Strategic Operations Management & Supply Chain Analytics Starts on Jan 27, 2024 Get Details This mission is part of India's broader Deep Ocean Mission, which focuses on exploring underwater resources, understanding marine biodiversity, and developing deep-sea technology. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click here for more information Undo At the heart of the mission is the Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV), designed to keep the crew safe under intense pressure. The most important part of this HOV is a titanium sphere, 2.26 metres wide, with walls 80 mm thick, built to survive pressures of 600 bar and temperatures as low as -3°C. On Wednesday, ISRO (India's space agency) announced that it had successfully welded this titanium pod using Electron Beam Welding (EBW), a first of its kind in India. This welding process was extremely difficult because it needed to join thick titanium parts together with high precision. Live Events Why This Is a Big Deal Welding thick titanium isn't easy. The team had to upgrade their tools, increasing their welding machine's power from 15kW to 40kW, and even build better testing equipment. They carried out nearly 700 test welds, even inserting fake defects to test their safety checks. Finally, they completed a 32-minute-long weld on the actual sub, 80 mm thick over 7.1 metres. It was a continuous process that required pinpoint accuracy. ISRO called it a 'national first in scale and precision.' Now that the weld is done, Matsya-6000 is one step closer to underwater trials. Once ready, it will join an elite group of human submersibles worldwide that can go 6 km deep. This will help India explore new sea life, underwater minerals, and develop cutting-edge tech. Inputs from TOI
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
WiFEX: Ten winters and countless hours of fieldwork unravels India's winter fog
The Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX), launched in 2015 at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), New Delhi, has completed a milestone — ten years of dedicated research into North India's dense winter fog and its impact on daily life and aviation safety. 'The key aim as to generate high quality observational data and develop a reliable resolution fog prediction model. In the next phase, WiFEX-2 will be expanded to other major airports in North India,' Dr M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, GoI said on Tuesday. Dr Ravichandran along with other officials visited the WiFEX and System for Air Quality and Forecasting Research (SAFAR) control room at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) on Tuesday. On the occasion a state-of-the-art atmospheric chemistry laboratory as inaugurated and the website of an Early Career Researchers' Hub for Earth Sciences as also launched. Dr Ravichandran later spoke to media persons about ho accurate forecasts under WiFEX have provided significant operational benefits to airlines including reductions in flight diversions and cancellations. 'Based on this success WiFEX is no progressing to its next phase WiFEX- II and these capabilities ill be expanded to major airports in North India so the advanced instruments can better predict localised fog events at airport runways,' he said. Led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), with support from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), WiFEX is one of the world's fe long-term open- field experiments focused solely on fog — an elusive winter hazard that regularly disrupts air, rail, and road transport across the Indo-Gangetic Plain. What began at IGIA — India's busiest and most fog-affected airport — has grown into a robust observational network now reaching Jewar Airport, Noida, and Hisar, Haryana, covering key aviation corridors across North India. Over the past decade, WiFEX scientists have deployed advanced instruments, micrometeorology towers, ceilometers, and high-frequency sensors to collect detailed data on temperature layers, humidity, wind, turbulence, soil heat, and aerosols — building an unmatched dataset that reveals ho dense fog forms and disperses. 'These insights have powered the development of a high-resolution (3 km) probabilistic fog prediction model, which no stands among the region's most advanced tools for operational forecasting. This model can reliably predict hen fog will begin, ho dense it will be, how long it will last, and when it will clear — achieving more than 85% accuracy for very dense fog (visibility below 200 metres),' Dr. Sachin Ghude, Project Director, WiFEX and SAFAR explained. WiFEX is stepping into its next phase — WiFEX-II — which will extend localised, runway-specific fog predictions to more airports in North India. By in stalling dedicated sensors at additional sites, airport operators will gain real-time data to help them activate response plans and ensure operations remain safe and efficient — even in the thickest fog. 'After ten winters and countless hours of fieldwork, WiFEX is shining example of hat sustained, focused re- search and collaboration can achieve. By connecting observations to models and models to real-world decisions, WiFEX proves that science can clear the path forward,'Dr Suryachandra Rao, Director , IITM added. 'By this November Wi-FEX-2 will be launched at Noida, Jaipur, Varanasi and plans are underway for introducing the systems at Guwahati,' Dr Ghude said. IITM scientists explained that for airlines, pilots, air traffic controllers, and passengers, this means fewer costly diversions, fewer delays, safer runways, and more informed travel during the challenging winter fog season. 'We also need to reduce false alarms and the WiFEX -2 will help us address this pertinent issue,' Dr Ghude added. Meanwhile, at forward locations, the Indian Armed Forces have expressed a need for similar fog prediction solutions, IITMexperts said. They pointed out that while sophisticated instruments are available at IGI Airport in New Delhi, the accuracy of predictions at the requested locations depends on the availability of local weather and cloud data. On the NISAR satellite Dr M Ravichandran, responding to queries on the NISAR satellite – jointly developed by NASA and ISRO and scheduled for launch soon said that they would wait for data. The NISAR satellite will examine water bodies, forest loss and so on. He also said that they were collaborating with ISRO to request the launch of a new satellite. —INSAT-3DS is a dedicated meteorological satellite launched by ISRO to enhance weather forecasting and disaster warning capabilities. According to the expert as part of their transition to the fourth-generation series, preparatory work is underway. 'On August 23, we will outline and prioritise our satellite data requirements for weather monitoring. Each sector will be formally informed about these priorities and their relevance,' he said. Anuradha Mascarenhas is a journalist with The Indian Express and is based in Pune. A senior editor, Anuradha writes on health, research developments in the field of science and environment and takes keen interest in covering women's issues. With a career spanning over 25 years, Anuradha has also led teams and often coordinated the edition. ... Read More
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Business Standard
30-06-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Earthquake of magnitude 4.7 strikes Andaman Sea, third tremor in one day
The Andaman Sea was jolted by a third earthquake on Monday. The earthquake of magnitude 4.7 struck the region at around 12.06 pm today, as per the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The seismic activity also occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, similar to the past two quakes in a day. In a social media post on X, the NCS wrote, "EQ of M: 4.7, On: 30/06/2025 12:06:25 IST, Lat: 9.60 N, Long: 93.79 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Andaman Sea." The Andaman Sea experienced a second earthquake of magnitude 4.6 on the Richter Scale today, with the tremors occurring at 11.22 am, just an hour after the first quake at 10:09 am. The social media post of NCS read, "EQ of M: 4.6, On: 30/06/2025 11:22:23 IST, Lat: 9.45 N, Long: 93.93 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Andaman Sea." Earlier today, an earthquake of magnitude 4.7 hit the Andaman Sea, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).According to the NCS, the earthquake occurred at 10:09 am at a depth of 10 kilometres. In a social media post on X, the NCS wrote, "EQ of M: 4.7, On: 30/06/2025 10:09:03 IST, Lat: 9.43 N, Long: 94.17 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Andaman Sea." On June 25, an earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale struck the Andaman Sea, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). As per the NCS, the quake occurred at 01:43 am at a depth of 20 km, with its epicentre located at 9.46°N latitude and 94.07°E longitude. "EQ of M: 4.2, On: 25/06/2025 01:43:50 IST, Lat: 9.46 N, Long: 94.07 E, Depth: 20 Km, Location: Andaman Sea," National Centre for Seismology wrote on X. The Andaman Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands fall within Seismic Zone V, the highest risk zone in India. The Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt, which extends up to the Andaman-Nicobar island region, is known to be one of the world's seismically active belts, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Hindustan Times
30-06-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Andaman Sea jolted by three earthquakes in a day
The Andaman Sea was jolted by a third earthquake on Monday. The earthquake of magnitude 4.7 struck the region at around 12.06 pm today, as per the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The Andaman Sea experienced a second earthquake of magnitude 4.6 on the Richter Scale today, with the tremors occurring at 11.22 am, just an hour after the first quake at 10:09 am.(Representational image) The seismic activity also occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, similar to the past two quakes in a day. In a social media post on X, the NCS wrote, 'EQ of M: 4.7, On: 30/06/2025 12:06:25 IST, Lat: 9.60 N, Long: 93.79 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Andaman Sea.' The Andaman Sea experienced a second earthquake of magnitude 4.6 on the Richter Scale today, with the tremors occurring at 11.22 am, just an hour after the first quake at 10:09 am. The social media post of NCS read, "EQ of M: 4.6, On: 30/06/2025 11:22:23 IST, Lat: 9.45 N, Long: 93.93 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Andaman Sea." Earlier today, an earthquake of magnitude 4.7 hit the Andaman Sea, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).According to the NCS, the earthquake occurred at 10:09 am at a depth of 10 kilometres. In a social media post on X, the NCS wrote, "EQ of M: 4.7, On: 30/06/2025 10:09:03 IST, Lat: 9.43 N, Long: 94.17 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Andaman Sea." On June 25, an earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale struck the Andaman Sea, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). As per the NCS, the quake occurred at 01:43 am at a depth of 20 km, with its epicentre located at 9.46°N latitude and 94.07°E longitude. "EQ of M: 4.2, On: 25/06/2025 01:43:50 IST, Lat: 9.46 N, Long: 94.07 E, Depth: 20 Km, Location: Andaman Sea," National Centre for Seismology wrote on X. The Andaman Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands fall within Seismic Zone V, the highest risk zone in India. The Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt, which extends up to the Andaman-Nicobar island region, is known to be one of the world's seismically active belts, according to the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Hans India
24-06-2025
- Science
- Hans India
Cyclone warning systems more accurate now: MoES
New Delhi: Cyclone warning systems have become substantially more accurate, with improvements of up to 65 per cent in landfall prediction within 48 hours, a senior official on Monday said. Addressing a press conference on 11 years of the Modi government, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) Secretary Dr M. Ravichandran said forecasts of other severe weather events such as heavy rainfall, fog, and heatwaves have improved by 40 per cent over the last five years. Monsoon forecasting has also seen a major shift, moving from statistical to physics-based models under the National Monsoon Mission, significantly enhancing the accuracy and spatial resolution of seasonal predictions. 'These improvements are the result of sustained investments in research infrastructure and technology over the past decade,' said Dr Ravichandran, while outlining the ministry's key achievements from 2014 to 2025. Among the major milestones highlighted was the launch of the Bharat Forecast System in May 2025, a high-resolution (6 km) global weather model aimed at strengthening India's capability in weather prediction. In September 2024, the government also rolled out 'Mission Mausam', a nationwide initiative to make India 'weather ready and climate smart'. India's first Earth System Model (IITM-ESM) played a key role in international climate science, contributing to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6) and the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), he said. In ocean science, the Deep Ocean Mission marked a turning point with successful wet harbour trials of Matsya-6000, India's manned submersible capable of reaching 6,000 metres below sea level. Dr Ravichandran said this will pave the way for deep-sea exploration and sustainable extraction of marine resources. 'We have also discovered two active and two inactive hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean and identified 23 new species in biodiversity surveys --strengthening India's position in ocean science,' he added. The Ministry also released an Integrated Ocean Energy Atlas to assess renewable energy potential, estimated at 9.2 lakh TWh annually, from India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including wave, tidal, wind and ocean thermal energy. Services for the fishing and maritime community have expanded considerably, with over seven lakh fishermen now receiving Potential Fishing Zone (PFZ) advisories, up from one lakh in 2014. Marine services such as oil spill alerts, coral bleaching forecasts and harmful algal bloom warnings now reach nearly 9.45 lakh stakeholders across India and in six other Indian Ocean countries, the official said. India's tsunami alert capabilities have also advanced, he added. 'Earlier, we were limited to Indian Ocean events, but now we can issue tsunami warnings within 10 minutes for any global ocean earthquake. These alerts are shared with 25 Indian Ocean Rim countries,' said Dr Ravichandran. In polar science, India continues to operate two Antarctic research stations and one in the Arctic, supporting over 100 scientists annually. The passage of the Antarctic Bill in 2022 and the release of the Indian Arctic Policy the same year further strengthened India's scientific and diplomatic presence in polar regions, he said. Domestically, the National Seismological Network now comprises 166 observatories, up from 86 in 2014, enabling the detection of earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 and above, he said. Eight Indian cities have undergone seismic microzonation to improve earthquake-resilient infrastructure, he said. A three-km deep borehole in Maharashtra's Koyna region is being studied to understand reservoir-triggered quakes. The MoES official said the ministry has also implemented thermal desalination in Lakshadweep, improving access to potable water and reducing water-borne illnesses. Coastal restoration projects in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu have reclaimed eroded beaches using innovative engineering solutions. To make scientific services more accessible, the ministry has launched several public-facing mobile apps -- Mausam, Meghdoot, Damini, SAFAR AIR, and Bhookamp -- and digital platforms like the Earth System Science Data Portal and Digital Ocean.
