Proc Indian Natn Sci Acad 82 No. 3 July Spl Issue 2016 pp. 1145-1161 Printed in India. DOI: 10.16943/ptinsa/2016/48509 Institutional Report ESSO–National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research M THAMBAN* and M RAVICHANDRAN ESSO–National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Goa 403 004, India (Received on 13 July 2016; Accepted on 15 July 2016) Introduction oceanographic vessels as well as exploration for hydrothermal mineralization in the Indian Ocean Ridge The National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean areas. Research (NCAOR) under the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) of the Ministry of Earth The mission objectives of NCAOR are however, Sciences is the nodal agency to coordinate country’s not merely restricted to the scientific, technical and entire activities in the polar regions and oceans as logistics management of the Indian Polar programs well as to carry out independent research activities in nor to facilitating of the implementation of the other specialised areas. The major mandates of NCAOR mandated responsibilities entrusted to it by the Ministry. include: (a) Overall planning, co-ordination and The Centre has a well-focused scientific mandate of implementation of the scientific programmes mounted initiating and supporting basic and applied research in in Antarctica, Arctic, Southern Ocean and the a variety of scientific disciplines and themes that are Himalayas; (b) Implementation of the ocean surveys otherwise not being pursued by any institution or and mineral resources programs of the MoES such laboratory in the country. This scientific mandate as geoscientific surveys of India’s EEZ, Indian recognizes, as its backdrop, the need to understand Continental Shelf Program, technical management of the relationships of the polar, cryospheric, atmospheric, *Author for Correspondence: E-mail: [email protected] 1146 M Thamban and M Ravichandran geological and oceanic realms vis-à-vis global status in the Arctic Council was accepted in May processes, the importance of the polar regions for 2013, along with that of five other countries — China, our understanding of the global environment, the need Italy, Japan, South Korea and Singapore at a meeting to understand these regions as unique entities, and of the Arctic council in Sweden. the opportunities presented by these realms as research platforms. Indian Antarctic Expedition India’s commitment to pursue world class It has been almost thirty-five years to date from the research in polar regions, while preserving its pristine time the Indian scientists took their first cautious steps environment, was given a concrete shape with the on the frozen continent of Antarctica. We have establishment of the first polar research laboratory at certainly come a long way since then, both in terms NCAOR, including specialised low temperature and of our scientific accomplishments as well as on the clean room facilities. The Centre has been equipped logistics front. The growth of NCAOR is with some of the state-of-art laboratories for ice core commensurate with the growth of scientific and studies, microbiological, molecular and environmental logistic activities in Antarctica. India has now two research and related subjects. The centre also houses year round research bases in East Antarctica, namely the National Antarctic Data Center that archives all Maitri and Bharati about 3500 km apart and are kinds of polar kinds of data obtained as part of the catered for annual supplies once a year by chartered Indian activities in polar regions. To enable the Ice Class vessel. With the commissioning of Bharati scientific and research activities in polar regions, the station in Larsemann Hills in 2012, India’s Polar Centre is also managing two wintering research programme has come up to age and is bound to take stations in Antarctica (Maitri and Bharati) and another flights to newer heights. The Antarctic Logistics station in Arctic (Himadri). Presently the Centre is division at NCAOR handles multi modular also establishing its first high altitude research station responsibility as enabler of scientific research in in Lahaul-Spiti valley in western Himalaya. The Antarctica; manages Indian infrastructure in Centre is also managing the ORV Sagar Kanya, Antarctica; and is responsible for planning of resource India’s primary oceanographic research platform. including team building & trainings; maintaining public relations, collaborations with national and international In addition to the scientific activities, the Centre agencies and as national representative to the Council has brought visibility to Indian polar activities by taking of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes. leadership role in several international committees th concerned with polar sciences such as SCAR Bharati Station was commissioned on the 18 (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research), of March 2012, and is an intelligent building with a COMNAP (Council of Managers of National floor area of 2200 sq meters with 12% ( 270 Sq m) Antarctic Programs), AFoPS (Asian Forum for Polar dedicated laboratory space was constructed with Science), IASC (International Arctic Science Council), rigorous planning of three years and actual Ny-SMAC (Ny Ålesund Science Management construction in 124 days at a cost of INR 450 Crores Committee), etc. It represents the country in ATCM without any cost escalation and time overrun. Bharati (Antarctic Treaty Consultative Committee Meeting), is equipped with modern facilities and provides IASC (International Arctic Science Committee), Ny- opportunity for year round scientific research at and SMAC (Ny Alesund Science Management around Bharati. The station can support 47 personnel Committee) and several other international forums on twin sharing basis in the main building during and plays an important role in international global summer as well as winter with an additional 25 in observations. Recently, NCAOR has also become an emergency shelters/summer camps during summers associate partner in the Svalbard Integrated Arctic and thus making the total capacity as 72. The station Earth Observing System (SIOS) - the Norwegian consists of one main building, fuel farm, fuel station, initiative for integrated studies of the Svalbard sea water pump house, a summer camp and a number archipelago, which forms a part of the roadmap of of smaller containerized modules. the European Strategy Forum on Research The focus areas of Antarctica research include: Infrastructures (ESFRI). India’s bid for observer Atmospheric Sciences, Biological Sciences, ESSO–National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research 1147 first multi-sensor moored observatory was deployed in the Kongsfjorden. IndARC is programmed to collect sea truth data at close temporal scales even during the harsh Arctic winter. Under the rapid and most significant impacts of global warming that Arctic is exhibiting, quantification of changes in precipitation rate and its underlying processes, precipitation characteristics are some of the striking issues that were addressed for better and more accurate prediction of the future climate. In addition, transport of atmospheric aerosols from low latitude regions to the Arctic atmosphere and subsequent deposition in Fig. 1: Newly commissioned Indian Antarctic station Arctic snow/ glaciers and ice sheets has been a major “Bharati” in Larsemann Hills scientific concern in the recent years. Towards this, NCAOR has setup the Gruvebadet Atmospheric Observatory in Ny-Ålesund for the last few years Cryospheric Sciences, Earth Sciences and streaming in data at very high temporal resolution. Environmental Sciences, with an overarching theme Indian researchers are also periodically conducting of Climate Change. Studies on Human Physiology measurements on the accumulation/ablation and mass and Medicinal aspects are also made on the scientific balance of the Vestre Broggerbreen and Feringbreen and logistic personnel staying at the Indian research glacier during summer and winter seasons. Another stations to understand the physiological characteristics aspect of the measurements is the measurement of and also the effect of staying away from their respective families and friends in one of the harshest continent. Apart from these main topics, ESSO- NCAOR has continued to encourage young students to participate in the Indian Antarctic Programme under the Student’s Participation Scheme. The Indian Scientific Expeditions to Antarctica is a wonderful example of multi-disciplinary work carried out by more than 20 national research organizations and universities. Indian Arctic Expedition Climate change is felt first and fastest in the Arctic and the Arctic processes have been referred to as the “drivers” of the tropical climate. Due to this, the systematic study of Arctic is of special importance for tropical countries like India. Major thematic areas of the Indian research activities in the Arctic include: a) Kongsfjorden monitoring; b) Atmospheric studies; c) Glaciological studies. Kongsfjorden is an Arctic fjord in the North West coast of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago is an established reference site for Arctic marine studies. The Centre has been continuously monitoring the Kongsfjorden since 2010 and a major milestone in India’s scientific endeavours in the Arctic region has Fig. 2: IndARC multi-sensor moored ocean observatory being been achieved in 2014 when IndARC, the country’s deployed in the Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Arctic 1148 M Thamban and M Ravichandran glacier velocity and ice thickness thereby