IMD awaits data from new Doppler radar at VSSC

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the installation of India's second indigenously developed C-Band Polarimetric Doppler Radar at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) here, officials at the Indian meteorological department (IMD) here look forward to its effective operation to ensure nowcasting (weather forecasting) for accurate weather prediction and to forecast storms and cyclones an hour or two ahead to save human lives.
After inaugurating the DWR at VSSC here on Aug 4, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chairman and Department of Space (DoS) secretary said data from this radar will be available to IMD to supplement its weather prediction. The data will be available to researchers and user agencies through the website of Meteorological and Oceanographic Satellite Data Archival Centre (MOSDAC) under ISRO.
VSSC director Dr K Sivan said the radar will provide effective long-range weather surveillance for up to 400km. Commissioned by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) based on the technology provided by ISRO, the DWR is a national effort to develop indigenous radars to seamlessly cover regions of interest to ensure effective weather forecast. The operation, maintenance and data dissemination from this radar through ISRO website will be carried out by Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS). The users include scientific community, universities, IMD, Indian Air Force, IAF and Space Physics Lab.
However, IMD officials indicate that weather data from this new radar at VSSC is yet to be made available in public domain and they are awaiting a communication from VSSC on that.
"Things are not clear, a decision to bring the operation of the new radar at VSSC under IMD is expected to be worked out soon," said IMD senior scientist in-charge of radar network operations Dr Devendra Pradhan. IMD senior scientist and director-in-charge S Sudevan said every half an hour data from the radar is required for timely weather forecast.