The Inaugural Session of SaGHAA Webinar 2020 will begin with an introduction by the Chairman, Dr. Rasik Ravindra followed by a brief from the Co-Organising Chairs Dr. Ravinchandran and Dr. Koc. The Chief Guest HE Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson will grace the event and give a speech. An address by Special Guest, Ms Hilde Svartdal Lunde is scheduled as well. Prof. Victor Smetacek's Keynote Address will start off the proceedings of SaGHAA Webinar 2020.
“Underwater Technology for Polar Research
“Designing Polar Research Vessels: A Collaboration between industry, scientists and government
“Let not that ice melt in Svalbard
“Coastal and regional circulation in Svalbard; cross-scale needs for data and numerical model tools
“Recent advances in hydroacoustic technology for ecosystem monitoring
Serving as President of Iceland for twenty years, 1996-2016, Grímsson was elected five times in nationwide elections. Previously, he was Minister of Finance, Member of Parliament, Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and the first Professor of Political Science at the University of Iceland. Grímsson now serves as Chairman of the Arctic Circle, which he founded in 2013 with various Arctic partners. The Arctic Circle Assembly held in Iceland every October has become the largest annual international gathering on the Arctic, attended by more than 2000 participants from 60 countries. The Arctic Circle also organises specialised Forums in other countries; so far, in Asia, Europe, and North America. For decades, Grímsson has been an active participant in the global climate dialogue and during his Presidency and in recent years initiated and promoted clean energy projects in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the United States and the Americas; especially using Icelandic achievements and technologies as a model. Cooperation with Sinopec has led to the largest geothermal projects in the world, building clean energy urban heating systems in a multitude of Chinese cities. He was the Chairman of a commission established by IRENA on the new geopolitics emerging from global renewable energy transformation. Grímsson served on the Advisory Board of Sustainable Energy for All, created by the United Nations and the World Bank. In addition to devoting his post-presidential efforts to the three areas of climate, the Arctic and clean energy, Grímsson is also involved in international cooperation on the oceans and the evolution of sustainable use of marine resources.
Currently serving as the Ambassador for Arctic and Antarctic Affairs at the 2020 Norwegian SAO, Lunde studied Political Science at the University of Oslo. Her career has spanned over 25 years in which she has served in different positions such as being the Ambassador to Reykjavik from 2018-2020, Deputy DirectorGeneral, Department of Security Policy and the High North, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oslo from 2014-2018, Senior Faculty Adviser, The Norwegian Defence College, Oslo from 2013-2014. She was the Senior Adviser, Section for East Asia and Oceania, Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2011-13. She has worked in different capacities at different embassies such as Deputy Chief of Mission, Royal Norwegian Embassy, Moscow from 2007 to 2011. She was also the Deputy Director, Section for Russia, Eurasia and Regional Cooperation from 2002 to 2007. Lunde started her career as an Executive officer at Norwegian Defence Command in 1992. In 1993 she was appointed as Trainee/higher executive officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She started her diplomatic career in the year 1995 as an Attaché at Royal Norwegian Embassy, Moscow. She became the second secretary the next year in which capacity she served till 1998. She then moved to the US to serve as the First Secretary from 1998 to 2001. She was also the Counsellor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy, Belgrade (Pristina) from 2001 to 2002. She has had diverse experiences across continents.
Professor Emeritus for Bio-Oceanography at the University of Bremen and former Head of the Division Pelagic Ecosystems at the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) Smetacek is an expert on plankton ecology and biogeochemistry, particularly of the Southern Ocean. His research interests are focussed on the relationship between plankton ecology, ocean biogeochemistry and climate. Smetacek served as Chief Scientist on numerous interdisciplinary, international cruises onboard RV ‘Polarstern’ the last three of which carried out iron fertilisation experiments in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. He has served on International Scientific Steering Committees of various research programmes, on the Scientific Councils of institutions in Germany and abroad and has received several prestigious awards for excellence in research, including the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2012.
Currently is the Director of the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru and Chancellor of the TERI School of Advanced Studies, Nayak was the prior ‘Distinguished Scientist’ in the Ministry of Earth Sciences and President, International Geological Congress during 2015-2017. He was the Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, during August 2008-2015, and provided leadership for programmes related to earth system sciences. He has been credited with launching many research programmes related to the monsoon, air-sea interaction, changing water cycle, atmospheric chemistry, coastal vulnerability, climate services and polar science. Nayak had chaired National Committee on SCAR during 2016-19. He had set up the state-of-the-art tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean in 2007 in just two years time and providing tsunami advisories to the Indian Ocean rim countries. Nayak pioneered in the development of algorithms and methodologies for the application of remote sensing to the coastal and marine environment and generated baseline database of the Indian coast and developed services for fishery and ocean state forecast. The generation of detailed information on the Indian coast has influenced the development of policy for zoning of coastal zone for regulating coastal activities. He was conferred the prestigious ISC Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Award 2012, Bhaskara Award for 2009, Fellowship of the International Society of Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing (ISPRS) and Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) for his outstanding contributions in remote sensing and GIS.
A professor in biological oceanography at the University of Copenhagen, leader of the Sustainability Science Centre and a principal investigator in the Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Richardson’s research focuses on the importance of biological processes in the ocean for the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere. She also studies how the ocean biology, including diversity, contributes to ocean function in the Earth System. Richardson was the Chairman of the Danish Commission on Climate Change Policy that reported in 2010 and presented a roadmap for how Denmark can become independent of fossil fuels by 2050. She is at present a member of the Danish Climate Council and was a member of the 15 people Independent Group of Scientists appointed by Ban Ki-Moon to draft the 2019 UN Global Sustainable Development Report.
With a research interest in elemental and isotope geochemistry Singh played a significant role on studies on low temperature elemental and isotope geochemistry and his researches have assisted in widening the understanding on the evolution of the Himalaya and its role in modulating the long-term global climate. Singh’s present research interests are Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements and Isotopes (TEIs) in the Indian and Southern Oceans and in the Indian Estuaries and evolution of ocean chemistry and atmospheric oxygen. Currently, he is leading the GEOTRACES-INDIA programme to unravel the importance of micronutrients in controlling the ocean productivity, marine ecology and global climate change. Singh is a recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award, one of the highest Indian science awards for his contributions to Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 2016. He received the National Geosciences Award (2012) and The Eminent Mass spectrometry Award, 2014.
Currently serving as the Managing Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, taking charge in 2017, Misund has solid management and research experience of over 30 years. He has been the head of a number of important research institutions in recent decades such as The Managing Director at National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research from 2016 to 2017, Director of University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) from 2012 to 2017, Research Director at the Institute of Marine Research in Norway from 2000 to 2012. Over the years through various leadership roles in the research and education sector, Misund has emphasised that the institutions he led should have good academic collaborations with various universities and institutes of higher learning. He has published over 80 papers related to marine research in his career and is an alumnus of the The University of Bergen.
Research Scholar, Department of Defence and National Security Studies, Panjab University
An Associate Fellow at the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi, Bajaj is studying the impacts of climate change on India’s holistic maritime security. Prior to joining the Foundation, Bajaj worked as an independent science writer and researcher focusing on climate change and the environment where he published several articles on sustainable development, climate science, climate policy, and related areas.
Contributing significantly in developing several application tools and prediction models for societal applications like longrange prediction models, gridded climate data sets, and diagnostic studies on the Inter-annual variability of southwest and northeast monsoons (teleconnections) for regional climate services Rajeevan’s work are being utilised by the India Meteorological Department for operational use. His currents research interests include monsoon prediction using coupled models, decadal variability and prediction, land surface processes and monsoon predictability (role of land surface processes on monsoon variability and prediction), extreme climate events.Rajeevan is the recipient of 2001 START Young Scientist Award, Young Scientist Award in Atmospheric Sciences by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MOES) in 2007, 20th Biennial Mausam Award (2001) by Department of Science and Technology and many others. He is member of several international and national bodies including International Academy of Astronautics (IIA) High-level Adviser on Climate Services for the Commission on Climatology, WMO; Chairman, Council of the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) for Africa and Asia, Bangkok.
The current Director of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Ravichandran has worked as a scientist in Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in the field of Atmospheric Science, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in the field of Ocean Observing System and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in the field of ocean observing system and ocean modelling. His research interests include atmospheric physics and ocean dynamics, ocean observing systems and ocean modelling among others. He is a member of Scientific Steering Group of the WCRP (CLIVAR). Ravichandran is also the current Vice-Chair of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India. He has several publications in peer reviewed journals of national and international repute. Ravichandran is the recipient of the National Award for Ocean Sciences and Technology.
A research coordinator responsible for international cooperation at the Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Bergen, Norway, Pettersson is a physical oceanographer. His particular research interests are in the study and monitoring of marine ecosystems, harmful algae blooms and water quality in the Arctic and temperate oceans. Pettersson has more than 35 years of experience with research and applications of satellite earth observation data for marine and sea ice environmental and climate studies and applications. He built up and led the marine and coastal optical remote sensing research and services at the Nansen Center for several years. Pettersson has extensive experience in international project management and cooperation funded by the Research Council of Norway, European Commission, European Space Agency, industry and other agencies. He has been responsible for the scientific dissemination and outreach activities at NERSC for over 15 years and has published several significant works. He has extensive experience in international scientific and educational cooperation, in particular with Russia (since 1992), with India (1998) and Bangladesh (2011). Since the 1990s he has been coordinator, deputy coordinator or participant in several national and international funded research and educational projects, including the cocoordinator of European Commission FP7 INCOLAB project Indo-European research facilities for studies of marine ecosystem and climate in India (INDO-MARECLIM), led by the Nansen Environmental Research Centre-India. Pettersson has coorganised and lectured at many international interdisciplinary postgraduate research schools in Norway, Russia, India, Bangladesh and China.
Email: victor.smetacek@awi.de Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany
Prof Dr Victor Shahed Smetacek is a citizen of India and retired Professor of Biological Oceanography at the University of Bremen, Germany and Head of the Division of Pelagic Ecosystems at AWI. His research interests are focussed on the relationship between plankton ecology, ocean biogeochemistry and climate. He served as Chief Scientist on numerous interdisciplinary, international cruises onboard RV 'Polarstern' the last three of which carried out iron fertilisation experiments in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. He has served on International Scientific Steering Committees of various research programmes, on the Scientific Councils of institutions in Germany and abroad and has received several prestigious awards for excellence in research, most recently the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2012. Harnessing the Biosphere to Mitigate Global Climate Change and Sea-level Rise The planetary ice cover, from Himalayan glaciers to Arctic sea ice, is shrinking at much higher rates than anticipated, presumably due to feedback processes amplifying the rate of global warming and sea-level rise. All these developments will affect humans in different ways whereby substantial sea-level rise and resultant large-scale population displacement is certainly going to happen; the question is only when and how much time can we buy. In view of the dangers looming on the horizon, it is advisable to take steps, not only to prepare for the new realities to come but also to mitigate the rate of warming by curbing emissions and removing as much as possible of the excess CO2 in the atmosphere which is already causing problems. The rise in CO2 levels during the past 100 years, from 0.028 to now 0.039 per cent, corresponds to over 200 Gigatonnes of carbon which is equivalent to one-third of the carbon in the above-ground biomass of terrestrial vegetation. This CO2 and that from ongoing emissions will stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years to be eventually taken up by the oceans, via an acidifying surface layer. Technical means to transfer this CO2 to inert sinks will require much energy and storing this amount of CO2 (equivalent to 100 km3 of elemental carbon) on land is an additional problem. There is no quick and simple solution to CO2 removal, rather, it will be necessary to implement a broad range of measures of which harnessing the biosphere, in particular the plankton of the open ocean, is the most promising. There is evidence that productivity of the Southern Ocean played a major role in sequestering and releasing CO2 from during past glacial to interglacial cycles. Increasing productivity of this ocean by fertilizing with an iron will not have a big effect on atmospheric CO2 levels but the potential uptake is too much to ignore at this stage. In any case, further iron fertilization experiments will be necessary to explore the pros and cons of harnessing the marine biosphere to slow the rate of sea-level rise.
Head of Department of the Ship-based Science Support at the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat Lindgren holds a PhD in Arctic Ecology and has worked in the Polar Regions for several years with science and logistic science support.
Serving as the Research Director at the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) since September 2011 Koç is also an adjunct professor at the University of Tromsø. She received her doctoral degree in marine geology/palaeoceanography from the University of Bergen in 1993 and qualified as a professor in 2003. Nalan has over 20 years of experience with climate interpretations from polar marine sediment cores and has participated and led many cruises in the Nordic Seas, Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean and also participated in several ODP and IODP cruises. She has extensive experience in polar climate research and management through her previous positions at NPI as leader of the Polar Climate Programme (2004-2009) and as head of Centre for Ice, Climate and Ecosystems (ICE), NPI (2009-2011) and in her present position as research director. Koç has also served in several international science panels (i.e. CLIVAR, PAGES, ESSAC).
Frydenlund, before coming to India was the Director for UN Policy in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Frydenlund has served in Chile, at the Norwegian Mission to the European Union in Brussels, at the Norwegian Mission to the United Nations in New York and has been Norwegian Representative to the Palestinian Authority. He has worked for thirteen years in different capacities with conflict resolution in Africa. He has been Press Spokesman for International Development in the Ministry. Frydenlund grew up in Oslo and is an economist by education.
A Conservative Party member in the UK Parliament for North Wiltshire. Gray was elected to the House of Commons as Member for the North Wiltshire constituency in 1997. In 2015 and then again in 2019 he was reelected MP for the same constituency. Gray is a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies and Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. He has a great interest in a wide spectrum of Polar matters and has been the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Polar Regions since 2010. This group arranges events in Parliament attended by up to 100 Parliamentarians and a large audience from the wider Polar community in London and Cambridge. Gray has also led APPG Expeditions to Svalbard (2017), Greenland (2018), Iceland (2019), and led the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme members on visits to the Royal Marines Training, Arctic Norway (2010, 2012) to help increase awareness about the regions. He arranged two international conferences at the Royal United Services Institute, the first being in 2013: Poles Apart and then 2019: Inaugural Conference of Antarctic Parliamentarians. Gray represented the UK at the Annual Arctic Circle Conferences in Reykjavik, the Arctic Parliamentarians Conferences in Ulan Ude, Siberia, (2017) and Inari, Arctic Finland, (2019). He Attended Russian Arctic Conference, Archangelsk, (2017) and Russian Economic Forum, St Petersburg where he spoke at the Arctic Seminar. Gray chaired the Commons Defence Committee’s enquiry into Defence in the Arctic in 2017 and led a trip to Arctic Norway. He was a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Enquiry into Defence in the Arctic in 2018 (Sweden and Iceland) and was a guest of the Governor of the Falkland Islands in a visit to South Georgia aboard Pharos (2018). Gray is an acclaimed author and has published several books including Futures and Options for Shipping, for which he was awarded the Lloyd’s of London Book Prize, Crown vs Parliament, Poles Apart (2014), Who Takes Britain to War? (2016), and most recently the Full English Brexit (2018).
With a research interest is in the area of multidisciplinary oceanography of the Indian Ocean including its marginal seas (the Red Sea and the Andaman Sea) and the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean, hydrography, and water masses, Naqvi has made significant scientific contributions. In recognition of this, he has received a large number of awards/recognitions including the CSIR Young Scientist Award (1987), MAAS Young Scientist Award (1989), Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Prize (1996), Vigyan Ratna by the Uttar Pradesh Government (2004), National Award for Ocean Science & Technology by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India (2013), PSN National Award for Excellence in Science & Technology, HN Siddiquie medal by the Indian Geophysical Union (2014), Sisir Kumar Mitra Memorial Award by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) (2015), and National Geosciences Award for Excellence (2018) by the Ministry of Mines, GoI. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India, Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy, and Third World Academy of Sciences. He has also been selected as a Geochemistry Fellow by the Geochemical Society (USA) and the European Association of Geochemistry in 2020.
Holding the position of the Director of NCPOR (formerly NCPOR) between 2006 and 2012 after relinquishing the post of Deputy Director-General in Geological Survey of India, Ravindra is a veteran Antarctican. He has led the Ninth Antarctic Expedition in 1989-91, visiting the icy continent in 1987-88,1996-97, 2003-04, 2007 and 2009-10 in various capacities. Ravindra has also led the first Indian Expedition to the South Pole, the first Indian Arctic Expedition apart from expeditions to Higher Himalaya in Bhutan. He was Chairman of the DST Programme Monitoring Committee on “Dynamics of Himalayan Glaciers from 2007 to 2012 and was appointed Chair, Panikkar Professor in October 2012 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Ravindra has served as a Member of the UN Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf for the term 2014-2017 as also the Secretary General of the 36th International Geological Congress 2019-2020. He has received National Award for Polar Sciences and Cryosphere, 2013, National Mineral Award- 1990, Antarctic Award- 2002, H. N. Siddiqui Gold Medal from IGU in 2011, Prof Prem Bahadur Verma Memorial Lecture award, Prof R C Mishra Memorial Gold Medal 2017 and Dr WD West Oratory Award, 2018 and LifeTime Achievement Award from the Paleontological society of India.
Email: pravinp2005@gmail.com
Sr. Scientist,
Fishing Technology Division, Central Institute
of Fisheries Technology, Cochin
Dr P. Pravin, qualified in Agricultural Research Science in 1985 has served the Fisheries Survey of India (FSI) and the Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training (CIFNET) prior to joining the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He is having professional experience of 29 years in fish and fisheries science (Fishing Technology). He worked at the research centre of CIFT at Veraval for 10 years and has taken up various projects in the inland and marine sectors especially in the North-Eastern Hill Regions and Lakshadweep islands. He is a member of the CIFT team which received the prestigious International Smart Gear Award 2005 from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for the work on Juvenile Fish Excluder and Shrimp Separator Device (JFE-SSD) in trawls. His specialisation includes research in traditional fishing gears both in the inland and marine sectors, trawls, purse seines, long lines and responsible fishing. He has visited Thailand, Poland, Islamic Republic of Iran and Maldives for specialised training in fisheries and has also participated in the Southern Ocean Expedition 2011-12. He has 96 publications to his credit. He is a keen sportsman and artist and loves to paint and draw cartoons. Squid Jigging Operations in the Southern Ocean Fishing trials with various types of squid jigs were made in the Southern Ocean from 400 to 430 Latitude and 530 to 58.30 Longitude during the 6th Indian Southern Ocean Expedition from 23rd December 2011 to 6th February 2012. Squid jigging operations were carried out during nights with different types of jigs namely local jigs, jigs with LED lights and imported jigs. Total of 71 squids, approximately weighing 60 kg was landed by hand squid jigging. Three species were landed viz; Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis, S. bartrami and Todarodes filippovae. S. ovalaniesis and S. bartrami are widely reported from the tropical Indian Ocean and T. filippovae is a typical southern ocean species. Jigging operations could not be carried out on most of the nights due to very rough seas and strong currents and winds during the cruise. Different parameters like sea temperature, salinity, chlorophyll were collected using CTD. Imported jigs were more efficient as compared to local jigs and jigs with LED lights. Morphometric measurements along with the length and weight of different species of squids caught were recorded. Length of S. bartrami ranged from 20.5 to 48.8 cm and weight ranged from 0.2 to 2.8 kg and Length of T. filippovae ranged from 19.4 to 24.8 cm and weight ranged from 0.12 to 0.27 kg. With the great demand for seafood especially squids, there is a great possibility of harvesting the under-exploited stocks of oceanic squids especially in the Southern Ocean to cater to the protein food for mankind. Co-authors: K. V. Aneesh Kumar, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin B. Meenakumari, Fisheries Division Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi
Chairperson, NBA
Currently the Director-General of the National Maritime Foundation, which is India’s foremost resource centre for the development and advocacy of strategies for the promotion and protection of India’s maritime interests Chauhan has had an illustrious, four-decadelong career in the Indian Navy, with as many as four sea-going commands, culminating in his command of the aircraft carrier, the Viraat. As a Flag Officer, he conceptualised and executed the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS). Chauhan has been Chief of Staff of the Western Naval Command and the Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy (Ezhimala). He has been commended three times by the President of India for sustained distinguished service. Chauhan is a thought-leader and a prolific writer with over 85 published professional articles and papers to his credit. He is on the visiting faculty of the higher-command establishments of all three of India’s defence services, as also tri-Service establishments, including the National Defence College, New Delhi. Chauhan has also been advising the Indian government through his interaction with the ministries of Defence, External Affairs, and the National Security Council Secretariat.
Holding the position of the Director of NCPOR (formerly NCPOR) between 2006 and 2012 after relinquishing the post of Deputy Director-General in Geological Survey of India, Ravindra is a veteran Antarctican. He has led the Ninth Antarctic Expedition in 1989-91, visiting the icy continent in 1987-88,1996-97, 2003-04, 2007 and 2009-10 in various capacities. Ravindra has also led the first Indian Expedition to the South Pole, the first Indian Arctic Expedition apart from expeditions to Higher Himalaya in Bhutan. He was Chairman of the DST Programme Monitoring Committee on “Dynamics of Himalayan Glaciers from 2007 to 2012 and was appointed Chair, Panikkar Professor in October 2012 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Ravindra has served as a Member of the UN Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf for the term 2014-2017 as also the Secretary General of the 36th International Geological Congress 2019-2020. He has received National Award for Polar Sciences and Cryosphere, 2013, National Mineral Award- 1990, Antarctic Award- 2002, H. N. Siddiqui Gold Medal from IGU in 2011, Prof Prem Bahadur Verma Memorial Lecture award, Prof R C Mishra Memorial Gold Medal 2017 and Dr WD West Oratory Award, 2018 and LifeTime Achievement Award from the Paleontological society of India.
The Director of the Marine Research Centre of Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE, , Kankaanpää currently also leads a multi-sectoral project on Finnish Marine Knowledge and Data Portal . SYKE operates the Finnish ice strengthened Research Vessel Aranda and hosts the Finnish Marine Ecology Laboratory. She is Chair of Protection of Arctic Marine Environment, PAME -Working Group of the Arctic Council, and Vice President of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), a Finnish Delegate of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the chair of the Finnish National Committee of Arctic and Antarctic Research. Earlier, Kankaanpää acted as the Director of the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland for 15 years since 2000. She was a research fellow at the Dartmouth College in 2010. Kankaanpää worked as a Senior Advisor for the Arctic, Barents and Antarctic cooperation in the Ministry of the Environment in 1991 - 99. She acted as the Deputy Executive Secretary of Arctic Council’s CAFF Working Group in Iceland 1998. Kankaanpää obtained her PhD at the Geography Department of the University of Helsinki while working as a scientist in Finnish Marine Research Institute. She also studied in the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
A serving Indian Naval Officer, Parmar writes and speaks extensively on maritime security and strategy issues at various national and international conferences. He was a member of the XI Indian Antarctic Summer Expedition in 1991. Parmar has been a Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and also worked in the Indian Navy’s strategic apex level offices where, as part of the core team he published the Indian Navy’s unclassified maritime security strategy document titled “Ensuring Secure Seas in 2015”. He has carried out regional maritime assessments and has completed the doctrine development plan. Parmar is presently the Executive Director of the National Maritime Foundation and looks at the maritime strategy and security related aspects in the IOR and Western Pacific, piracy, and international maritime law with a focus on lawfare.
Having served two premier research institutions of the country—National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) & National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) in Goa, Sudhakar took charge as Director, CMLRE, Kochi in 2018. A veteran oceanographer, he has occupied various positions such as project leader and scientist and has spent more than 1500 days at sea on-board research vessels, as leader of expeditions to the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. He represented India at the Preparatory Commission for the United Nations Law of the Sea (PrepCom) and was an Elected Member of the Legal and Technical Commission (LTC) of the International Seabed Authority (ISBA) for the term 2007-2011 and (2012-16). Sudhakar was also a member of Scientific Committee on Ocean Research (SCOR), ICSU, serving for the second term until 2014. He was a visiting scientist to the Aachen University of Technology, Germany; a resource person of the International Ocean Institute, Malta; Member, National Steering Committee for Science and Astronomy Olympiads and Member, Scientific Committee, International Geological Congress 2020 (to be held in India). He was the ‘Commissioner General’ of Government of India for the Yeosu (World) Expo 2012 held in the Republic of Korea.
Starting his career with the initiation of Satellite Attitude Control System for spinning RS-1 Satellite at Trivandrum and later moving to Bangalore as part of Arya Bhata Project team, Goel developed various systems for Bhaskara I & II satellites, Rohini series satellites, IRS, V and INSAT-2. Goel has contributed significantly to the mission planning for remote sensing, communication and scientific missions and authored over hundred research papers in refereed journals and conferences. He was Chairman, Spacecraft System Advisory Board for IRS-1, Project engineer AOCS for APPLE and Associate Project Director, INSAT-II. Goel was Head Control System Division, Group Director AOCS, Deputy Director Mission and Control Area, Associate Director of ISRO Satellite Centre(ISAC) and was Director ISAC from 1997 to 2005 and member of Space Commission. Goel moved to Delhi as Secretary, Department of Ocean Development and transformed it into the Ministry of Earth Sciences by integrating Ocean, Atmosphere and Geo Science and Technologies. He was the first Chairman of Earth Commission and then the Chairman of RAC, DRDO and member of National Security SESSION 4 | Panel discussion | blue economy CHAIR Dr P S Goel, Fmr Secretary, MoES Ambassador of India to Iceland Armstrong Changsan Dr Jan-Gunnar Winther, Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic, Norway Dr Atmanand, Director, NIOT Dr Sameer Guduru, Associate Fellow, NMF Dr. John Kurian P, Scientist F, Deep Sea Exploration & Mapping, NCPOR Advisory Board. He was President of Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) and Vice President, Aeronautical Society of India, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Professor of ISRO. He was DRDO Chair at RCI/ DRDO Hyderabad, pursuing space for National Security. Goel was awarded Padma Shri in 2001 apart from several other prestigious accolades and titles. Currently, Goel is Honorary Distinguished Professor at ISRO HQ and is in many distinguished panels.
A career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service, Changsan has been serving the nation since 1997. He assumed charge as Ambassador of India to Iceland in 2018. Before taking up his present assignment, Changsan was the Consul General of India in Osaka-Kobe, Japan. He has served as Deputy High Commissioner of India to South Africa, and was earlier posted at Indian Missions in Lagos and Tokyo in various capacities. At headquarters, Changsan served in the United Nations Economic and Social Division. He has also served as Director/Head of Ministry of External Affairs’ Branch Office and Regional Passport Office, Guwahati. Sameer Guduru Associate Fellow, National Maritime Foundation Obtained his PhD in the emerging area of Femtosecond Laser Microfabrication from Politecnico Di Milano, Italy, Guduru thereafter held the role of a Research Engineer with Laboratory LP3, Marseille, France in the field of Laser-Induced Forward Transfer, applied in creating microelectronic circuits on flexible substrates. He later pursued Masters in International Relations from Symbiosis School of International Studies, Pune and is now an Associate Fellow with the National Maritime Foundation working in the area of Marine Technology.
Director of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) Atmanand has done pioneering work in the area of deep-sea technologies in India. He took Masters and Doctorate degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and has led a team of engineers for the design and development of an underwater crawler for deep-sea operation. The team developed the in-situ soil tester, which was tested at a depth of 5200 m in the Central Indian Ocean Basin. It was under his supervision that the design of the Electrical, Instrumentation, and Control system of India’s first Remotely Operable Vehicle was completed, later tested at a depth of 5289 m underwater. Atmanand’s areas of interest include the development of underwater vehicles with specific reference to their control; development of components for deep-sea applications; and development of test protocols for testing of deep-sea devices. He was honoured with the National Award of Excellence in Deep sea Ocean Technology by Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2020, IEEE- Oceanic Engineering presidential Award in 2016, the National Geoscience award in 2010 from the Ministry of Mines, and the International Society for Offshore and Polar Engineers (ISOPE) Ocean Mining Symposium Award - 2009. Atmanand has presented and published more than 140 papers in international journals, international conferences, book chapters, national conferences, and has 8 Indian and one German patent to his credit.
As director of Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic at Nofima from 2018, and as a specialist director at the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) from 2017, Winther’s areas of interest includes oceans and the sustainable development of the Arctic through multilateral cooperations. He is also the Chair of the Board of GRID Arendal from 2017. Winther took the role of the Adjunct Professor at École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne (EPFL) in 2017. He was also the Adjunct Professor at the University Centre in Svalbard from 2002-2007 and Leader course at the Norwegian National Defense College, 2003-2013. Winther serves on a number of national and international committees and delegations including deputy chair of the Norwegian Government’s Expert Committee on Northern Regions Policies, national expert to the Arctic Council and the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings, Lead Author on IPCC’s AR5, member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences, the World Economic Forum, United Nations Global Compact Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business, China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, expert to the High-Level Panel on Sustainable Blue Economy and the Explorers Club. Winther is an alumini of the Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH).
With interests that include hydrothermal sulphide mineral exploration, mid-ocean ridge tectonics, geomorphology and morpho-tectonics, Kurian presently works as a scientist at NCAOR-Goa and is leading national programmes on hydrothermal sulphides exploration in Indian ocean ridges and geoscientific studies of the Indian EEZ. Kurian has extensive field experience in leading geoscientific cruises onboard research vessels as chief scientist of several marine cruises for exploration of marine mineral resources in the deepocean mid-ocean ridges of Indian Ocean as well as for the geoscientific mapping of the Indian EEZ. He was instrumental in identification of many potential zones of hydrothermal mineralisation in the Indian Ocean ridges and as well as for mapping many geomorphological features in the Indian EEZ region. Kurian has published more than 30 research articles in various national and international peer-reviewed journals. He is India’s national representative in the InterRidge, an international organization dealing with mid-ocean ridge research. He has represented India in many annual meetings of the International Seabed Authority as well as state parties meeting of UNCLOS.
Obtained his PhD in the emerging area of Femtosecond Laser Microfabrication from Politecnico Di Milano, Italy, Guduru thereafter held the role of a Research Engineer with Laboratory LP3, Marseille, France in the field of Laser-Induced Forward Transfer, applied in creating microelectronic circuits on flexible substrates. He later pursued Masters in International Relations from Symbiosis School of International Studies, Pune and is now an Associate Fellow with the National Maritime Foundation working in the area of Marine Technology.
Email: abhidnj@gmail.com
Research Fellow, M. N. Saha Centre of Space Studies, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Allahabad
Abhinav Srivastava, received his Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from Saurashtra University, Rajkot, Gujarat, India, in 2008 and a post-graduate diploma in Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System from the University of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India in 2010. He is currently a Research Fellow with M. N. Saha Centre of Space Studies, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Allahabad, India. His research interests include Soft Computing Techniques, Artificial Neural Networks, Fuzzy Logic, Genetic Algorithm, Boolean Algebra, Geographical Information System, Remote Sensing of the Polar Sea Ice and Climate Change. He has created several hardware interfacing projects and presented them at national level symposiums. He is actively involved in the investigation of sea ice melting and refreezing using satellite remote sensing techniques and has presented several papers at national symposia. He is also a lifetime member of the Indian Meteorological Society. Study of Secular Inter-annual variations of Sea ice Boundary of the Antarctic and the Arctic using Altimeter Data in the Context to Climate Change The space-borne radar altimeters gave the measurement over the ocean regions which are covered with ice regions, also they are giving ocean surface heights too. In this paper, we have studied the interannual variation of the sea ice using the product available named as PISTACH altimeter along-track coastal product from JASON-2 satellite. Preliminary analysis has been done and the polar ice patterns have been observed from altimeter data and the variations around the marginal ice zones have been seen. We have analysed C- and Ku-band ice parameters provided in the product for the sea ice and ocean region. Various parameters have been selected such as ice flag, peakiness, ice sigma-0, etc. The pulse peakiness parameter is included in the data stream to permit filtering of anomalous data over the open ocean, including sea ice. Encouraging results were obtained regarding variations around the ice zones. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh, Sandip R. Oza, Megha Maheshwari and N. K. Vyas Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad A C Pandey, M. N. Saha Centre of Space Studies University of Allahabad, Allahabad Mihir K. Dash, CORAL, IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur
Dr Ajit Tyagi
Email: ajit.tyagi@gmail.com
Former Director-General India Meteorological Department New Delhi
Air Vice-Marshal (Dr) Ajit Tyagi is a Permanent Representative of India with the World Meteorological Organisation and elected member of its Executive Council. Dr Tyagi is a member of WMO Panels on Polar Meteorology and Global Framework on Climate Services (GFCS). He has served as Director-General of Meteorology, India Met Department, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Meteorology) and Principal Director (Information Technology) in Indian Air Force. Dr Tyagi has successfully executed the first phase of the modernisation programme of India Met Department and has formulated the Himalayan Meteorology Programme. Dr Tyagi is a fellow of India Meteorological Society and member of a number of professional committees. He has been commended by Chief of Air Staff and awarded Vishistha Sewa Medal by President of India for his distinguished services to the nation. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr Ajit Tyagi: He said that the long time series of meteorological, oceanic, cryosphere and environmental observations (aerosols) are recommended over the Arctic & Antarctic Region. The Space-based studies hold great potential in Polar Studies and need to be integrated into Polar observation & Research programmes.
Email: jtu@bas.ac.uk
IAMAS Vice-President (2011-2015), British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, The United Kingdom
John Turner is Vice-President of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS). He is a researcher at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, the UK where he leads a project investigating the climate of the Antarctic. He has a PhD in Antarctic Climate Variability. He was employed in the UK Meteorological Office from 1974 to 1986 where he was involved in the development of numerical weather prediction models and satellite meteorology. Since 1986 he has been at BAS working on high latitude precipitation, polar lows, teleconnections between the Antarctic and lower latitudes and weather forecasting in the Antarctic. He was the President of the International Commission on Polar Meteorology from 1995 to 2003. He chairs the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Expert Group on Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment. He is co-author of King and Turner (1997) Antarctic Meteorology and Climatology, co-editor of Rasmussen and Turner (2003) Polar Lows: Mesoscale Weather Systems in the Polar Regions and co-author of Climate Change in the Polar Regions (2011), all of which were published by Cambridge University Press. Contrasting Climate Change in the Two Polar Regions The two polar regions have experienced remarkably different climatic changes in recent decades. The Arctic has seen a marked reduction in sea-ice extent throughout the year, with a peak during the autumn. To date, the record minimum extent occurred in 2007, which was 40 per cent below the long-term climatological mean. In contrast, the extent of Antarctic sea ice has increased throughout the year, with the greatest positive trend being in the autumn. There has been large-scale warming across much of the Arctic, with resultant loss of permafrost and reduction in snow cover. The bulk of the Antarctic has experienced little change in surface temperature over the last 50 years, although a slight cooling is evident around the coast of East Antarctic since about 1980 and recent research has pointed to warming across West Antarctic. The exception is the Antarctic Peninsula, where there has been a winter (summer) season warming on the western (eastern) side. Many of the different changes observed between the two polar regions can be attributed to topographic factors and land/sea distribution. The location of the Arctic Ocean at such a high latitude, with the consequent large amount of solar radiation that is received in summer, allows the ice-albedo feedback mechanism to operate very effectively. The Antarctic ozone hole has had a profound effect on the circulations of the high latitude ocean and atmosphere, isolating the continent and increasing the westerly winds over the Southern Ocean, especially during the summer.
Email: cgdesh@tropmet.res.in
Scientist D Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Dr Homibhabha Road, Pashan, Pune.
Dr C. G. Deshpande is a scientist at the IITM whose research interest includes the physical and chemical characteristics of atmospheric aerosols in the Polar Regions, Cloud-Aerosol interaction and airborne measurements (CAIPEEX) and the measurement of atmospheric electrical parameters to study Global Electrical Circuit (GEC), solar-terrestrial effects and to understand atmospheric coupling. He has been actively involved with research work on measurements of various atmospheric electrical parameters to understand electrical climatology and physical and chemical properties of aerosols in the surface layer to study long-range transport over open ocean and at Antarctic and Arctic. A core group member of India’s first national airborne research programme CAIPPEX, he has participated in many national expeditions like the Cloud-Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (2009-2011), Indian Arctic expedition (2007, 2008), Pilot Expedition to Southern Ocean (2004), XVI Indian Antarctic Expedition (1996 -97) and Several Oceanic Expeditions(1990 -95). He has published 23 papers in international journals. As many as 18 papers have been presented and published at the Proceedings of National/International conferences. He was awarded the IITM Silver Jubilee Award 2004. He is a life member of the India Meteorological Society (IMS), Pune Chapter, and the Indian Aerosol Science and Technology Association (IASTA), Mumbai. Atmospheric Aerosol and Electrical Measurements over the Polar regions Polar regions are key players in the climate system; they are the heat sink of the global climate system and are highly sensitive regions to global change. There is a unique advantage of atmospheric measurements in the polar region, as these regions are free from anthropogenic pollution and are governed by natural processes, thus considered as a clean laboratory. Such undisturbed places are also free from the ground radioactivity and therefore provide a suitable site to investigate the global changes in atmospheric electricity. The atmospheric aerosols, generated by various anthropogenic and natural sources, are transported to a global extent due to the atmospheric circulation processes and alter the background level of air pollution. The background aerosols play an important role in the radiation budget as they directly interact with the solar-terrestrial radiation. These aerosols influence the radiation budget indirectly also as they act as cloud condensation/ice nuclei to form water droplets/ice crystals in the atmosphere and are involved in the cloud formation processes. The study of physical/chemical properties of aerosols along with meteorological and atmospheric electrical parameters are conducted during various scientific expeditions to Antarctic and Arctic. Some of the main results obtained from these observations are summarised below: 1. Aerosol size distributions at Maitri are generally trimodal and remain almost similar for several hours or even days in absence of any meteorological disturbance. Total aerosol concentration increases by approximately an order of magnitude whenever a low-pressure system passes over the station; 2. The measurements of the number concentration and size distribution of summer aerosols in the range of 0.5–20 µm diameter made at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard show abundance of marine origin sea salt particles followed by mineral dust particles during the summer season; and, 3. The classical concept of a global electric circuit is not validated from the diurnal variation curves of the atmospheric electric field observed at Arctic and Antarctic. Moreover, the diurnal variation is governed by the local thunderstorm activity in that region.
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: sandipoza@sac.isro.gov.in
Scientist, Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad
Dr Sandip Rashmikant Oza received his PhD degree in physics from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India, in 2007. Since 1987, he has been with the Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Ahmedabad. He has vast experience in the field of application of optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of vegetation dynamics and polar ice processes. He was a member of the scientific team during the 28th Indian Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic in 2008–2009 and collected important ground-truth data from Larsemann Hills and the Maitri station. Dr Oza is an Associate Fellow of the Gujarat Science Academy and a life member of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing and the Indian Meteorological Society. Investigations of the Recent Polar Ice Variations Observed from the Space-borne Optical and Microwave Sensors Polar ice plays an important role in the earth's climate system. The polar ice regime consists of ocean, ice sheet, sea ice, ice shelf, atmosphere, and polynyas. Because of the complex feedback mechanism amongst these components, improved knowledge of the physical processes is required for a better understanding of the potential changes in ice mass balance. The changes observed in polar sea ice extent in the recent past are alarming. The present paper is focused on the changes observed over the Arctic and the Antarctic ice surface, sea-ice as well as ice-shelf, using the data derived from space-borne observations. The recent changes in the sea-ice concentration and ice-shelf melting are discussed in details. The inter-relationship of sea ice, Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Ocean Productivity and their year-to-year variations have also been discussed. Synergistic use of the optical and microwave remote sensing data for the assessment of polar ice changes have been emphasised in the paper. The discussion ends with the description on present and forthcoming space-borne sensors planned by ISRO supporting the world-wide polar science activities. Co-authors: R. K. Kamaljit Singh and Megha Maheshwari Oceanic Sciences Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Group (AOSG/EPSA) Space Applications Centre (ISRO), Ahmedabad, India
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rramesh@prl.res.in
Senior Professor and Project Director, Physical Research Laboratory Indian Space Research Organisation Ahmedabad
Prof. R. Ramesh is presently working in the field of stable isotope mass spectrometry, paleoclimate and paleoceanography, isotopic tracers in the earth system, climate modelling and productivity measurements in the ocean using nitrogen isotopes. Prof. Ramesh is the recipient of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize citation in 2007. He won the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in 1987, the S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences in 1998, the TWAS Prize for Earth Sciences 2006, and the Prof. K. R. Ramanathan Memorial Gold Medal of the IGU in 2011. Prof. Ramesh is currently working as a Senior Professor at Physical Resource Laboratory (PRL) Ahmedabad. He also has been a Lead Author for IPCC AR 4 and 5. He is an author of 159 international publications and has guided 15 students for PhD. He is the Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences, Third World Academy of Science, and the Geological Society of India. He is a life member of the Indian Society for Mass spectrometry, Gondwana Geological Society, Indian Meteorological Society and Project Director of ISRO- GBP Paleoclimate Programme. Concluding recommendation by the chair Dr R Ramesh: He said that the initiative for the long term data in the Arctic is very clearly articulated. The inner seasonal variability in an Arctic fjord the kongsforden systems as a natural laboratory for climate change was discussed by a colleague of S. Rajan. Another presentation is on black carbon is very important for atmosphere gas control. These two are very interesting initiatives and bring sustain management for a long time. The two papers are very interesting about temperature variations at Schirmacher OASIS and Larsenmann Hills during the last two decades and another is on monsoon intensity and all India monsoon rainfall and because of the changing temperature contrast equator and poles.
Email: rasik@ncaor.org, rasikravindra@yahoo.co.in
Director,
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research,
Ministry of Earth Science,
Government of India, Goa
Rasik Ravindra is the Director of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, an autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India since 2006. He has worked in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Meghalaya and led geological expeditions to higher Himalaya during his 35 years of service in Geological Survey of India. His association with the Antarctic dates back to 1987 when he joined Seventh Indian Expedition to the Antarctic. Subsequently, he led the Ninth Antarctic Expedition in 1989-91 and visited the icy continent again in 1996-97, 2003-04, 2007 and 2009 in different capacities. In 2010 he led the First Indian Expedition to the South Pole. He is also credited with leading an Environmental Task Force in the Antarctic, Task Force on the selection of a site for Bharati, the third Indian Station in the Antarctic, the First Indian Arctic Expedition and establishing - Himadri – the Indian station in the Arctic. He is Vice President of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), Chairman of INSA Committee of SCAR, and current Chairman of Asian Forum on Polar Sciences. He has led Indian delegations to international Polar bodies such as ATCM, COMNAP and IASC since 2006. He has received National Mineral Award-1990, Antarctic Award-2002 and Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award-2011 for his contributions to the advancement of Polar sciences in India. Rasik Ravindra spoke about Evolution of Rocky Oases in East Antarctica Study by Indian Scientists. He talked about Schirmacher Oasis on the eastern side of the Antarctic is the location for the next station. This oasis is a live house and unique in many terms. There are huge mountain ranges that surrounded the Oasis in the eastern Antarctic region. There are continental ice, polar ice caps that override Schirmacher Oasis. There are various well water channels assuring ice towards the sea. All the ice has been moving for the last many years flow around 20,000 years before. There are pressure ridges on the western edge of Schirmacher Oasis. Frozen tidal effects can be seen on the flow of ice in the various monitors providing data that study the flow of ice in the Antarctic. The record of summer and winter shows the surface on the ice shelf in the Antarctic. The long period of exposure of the terrain to the weathering processes after the retreat of the ice mass is shown by the super imposition of the wind features. The erosional features are indicative of an extensive erosional regime in operation immediately after the retreat of the glacier. The studies of the Oasis has revealed that the areas were deglaciated in the early part of the Holocene or slightly before it and that a system of lakes had revelled making use of the depression carved and by glacial scouring.
Former Pro. Vice-Chancellor, Delhi University
Email: jmr@reynolds-international.co.uk
Managing Director
Reynolds International Limited,
The United Kingdom
Prof. John M. Reynolds' glaciological field experiences began when, at the age of 17, he led an expedition to southwest Norway in 1973. He graduated in 1977 with a degree in Geological Geophysics with Mathematics from Reading University, UK. After a short period in the oil industry, he joined the British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK, where he completed his PhD in glacial geophysics, working extensively in the Antarctic Peninsula. He researched the electrical properties of ice with a view to the interpretation of polar radio-echo sounding. This was followed by a period using geophysical methods to explore for potable water in the Sub-Sahara in northern Nigeria. In 1984 he joined Plymouth Polytechnic (now the University of Plymouth) and became a Senior Lecturer in Geophysics. In 1988 the Antarctic Place-Names Committee named Reynolds Ice Rise in the Antarctic Peninsula in his honour in recognition of research undertaken in relation to the Antarctic between 1978 and 1988. In 1991 he joined Applied Geology Ltd and became Head of Geophysics but left to set up his own consultancy in September 1994. During the period from 1987 to 1997, he undertook five further visits to the Antarctic Peninsula as well as glaciological field trips to the Andes in Chile and Peru. He is currently Managing Director of Reynolds International Ltd, UK, his consultancy company. He is a co-founder of the Glacier and Permafrost Hazards Working Group of the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) and the International Permafrost Association (IPA). He is continuing to research physical processes associated with Glacial Lake Outburst Floods in the Himalaya. In addition, he continues to research the use of Ground Penetrating Radar in glaciological and other near-surface applications. In addition to a textbook, he has published over 110 technical papers and articles on glaciology, glacial-geophysics and near-surface geophysics. In June 2005 he was appointed as an Honorary Professor at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK. Comparison and Replicability of Ground Penetrating Radar Surveys for Detailed Glaciological Investigations between the Polar and Himalayan Regions Non-invasive imaging of and through ice sheets has provided huge steps forward in the mapping and understanding of these features since the 1950s. Historically, airborne Radio-Echo Sounding (RES) has been undertaken over cold dry polar ice sheets, which are virtually transparent to radio waves, and depths of investigation of up to 5 km are not unknown. Since then, developments in radar equipment and analytical techniques have enabled the derivation of other significant information about the structure, composition, layering and dynamics of these major ice masses and related physical processes. The first use of impulse radar (Ground Penetrating Radar, GPR) for glaciological purposes was in the early 1970s. Since the mid-1990s, there has been a huge growth in the use of commercial GPR systems in particular over temperate glaciers, which are at their pressure melting point, and which represent a difficult challenge due to the presence of surface and englacial water. RES systems were first deployed from large aircraft in polar regions. GPR systems were originally used in ground-based investigations of temperate glaciers and have been used with increasing benefit in similar ways in polar regions. However, GPR systems are now being mounted onto helicopters for use in rugged mountain environments, such as in the European Alps and the Indian Himalayas. This presentation compares the use of GPR in polar glaciological investigations with those in high mountain environments, such as the Himalayas. By examining the radar characteristics of key glaciological features in both polar and Himalayan regions it is possible to design optimal radar surveys for a variety of glaciological and water resource applications. Such surveys can produce information that is key to climate change monitoring, measuring glacier volume fluxes, enhanced mass balance estimations, and that forms a high-quality baseline against which changes over time can be measured.
Email: sudhakarstore@gmail.com
Advisor and Scientist G,
Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India,
New Delhi
Dr Maruthadu Sudhakar obtained M.Sc. Tech in Applied Geology and Ph. D (1994) from Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad. He also obtained a Master's degree in Law of the Sea and Marine Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science, the UK as a British Council Fellow. Dr Sudhakar has served - National Institute of Oceanography (NIO; 1982-1997) and National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR; 1997-2009) in Goa as project leader and a scientist in various grades. He has contributed extensively in the field of oceanography/ offshore surveys/ Polar sciences/ marine technology. Presently he is serving as an Advisor and Scientist ‘G’ in the Ministry of Earth Science, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and is heading the Awareness and Outreach Programmes and Vessel Management Divisions of the Ministry. Dr Sudhakar is a veteran oceanographer and was a leader in major national thrust programmes such as the Survey and Exploration of Polymetallic Nodules in the Indian Ocean, Oceanography studies of the Southern Ocean, Delineation of Continental Shelf demarcation, etc. His major scientific contributions include delineation of major nodule deposits in Central Indian Basin, demarcation of potential areas for resource development; discovery of a large pumice field, zeolite deposits micro craters on Australasian microtektites, mapping the seabed and charting the bathymetry of Prydz Bay. Dr Sudhakar is an Elected Member of the Legal & Technical Commission (LTC) of the International Seabed Authority (ISBA). He is the designated 'Commissioner' of Govt. of India for the Yeosu Expo 2012. He published over 60 research papers in referred international/national journals. Who controls the mineral resources in the Antarctic and Antarctic Ocean? The Antarctic is the largest continent, which has no permanent inhabitation and has been a target of adventurists and gained its importance during the last century both geopolitically and scientifically. The continent has been known to be a repository of minerals, which may also be a reason for the large presence of international interests. In order to protect and preserve the Continent from unreasonable claims and undue exploitation, the countries having their continued presence in Antarctic agreed to establish a platform to address various issues - the 'Antarctic Treaty Consultative Committee’ (ATCM). This paper aims to look at the current international legal framework and rights of the sovereign countries to the mineral resources lying both on the continent and in the Antarctic Sea. The Third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III) was signed in 1982 by 110 countries of the United Nations and the text offers a comprehensive legal framework which was negotiated internationally for more than two decades. The maritime zones are well established as per UNCLOS III, established from the coastal baselines of a State to the seaward, i.e., a 12 nautical miles (nm) Territorial Sea, a 24 nm of Contiguous Zone, a 200 nm of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and an established Legal Continental Shelf maximum up to 350 nm. Countries that ratified the UNCLOS III and have signed the Convention adopted to the international regime, established their maritime zones. In this context, a few questions are raised. 1. Whether Antarctica can have its maritime zones established when it is historically a land of no human habitation and the provisions of UNCLOS broadly describes uninhabited areas; 2. If the Antarctic is entitled to maritime zone demarcation, where does the firm baselines are put up on the coast of the icy continent and who exercises the controls of a sovereign state and owns seabed and resources thereof; and, 3. If not, whether the Antarctic Ocean or the Southern Ocean falls within ‘the Area’ as described in Part XI (UNCLOS III) and controlled by the International Seabed Authority. However, the Antarctic sea has been under the regime of ‘High Seas’ freedom and as the living resources are open to exploitation by all countries; to over-exploitation controlled through a mechanism called the ‘Consultative Committee of Antarctic Marine Living Resources’ (CCAMLR).
Email: dpdobhal@wihg.res.in Scientist, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun
Dr D. P. Dobhal is a senior scientist at the Wadia Institute for Himalayan Geology (WIHG), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India which is based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. He is actively involved in the field of glaciology, development of new methods and techniques for monitoring glacier dynamics and climate-related problems. He has made a phenomenal contribution by using simple bamboo stakes (eco-friendly) to measure the changes in glacier mass/volume over a period. He was honoured with the 'Heroes of the Environment' (Innovative Category) by the prestigious Time Magazine in 2007. In connection with wide-ranging research assignments, he has visited several countries. He has participated in several Glacier Expeditions in the Himalayas and was also a member of the XX Indian Antarctic Expedition, 2000-2001. He is presently coordinating, the Centre for Glaciology, established in 2009 at the WIHG for the exploration of glaciers in India. Recent Retreat of the Himalayan Glaciers as Evidence of Climate Change; Observation and Analyses Glacier retreat is a phenomenon that has become the most important topic in the field of Cryosphere science. The evidence indicates that there has been a reduction in the size of glaciers in all mountain ranges of the world such as the Himalaya. In most regions, glaciers have been gradually retreating after Little Ice Age (1550-1850) but dramatic changes were reported in recent years. Enhanced recession rates of glaciers during the recent years has initiated widespread discussion especially in context to global warming (climate change). The continuous retreat of glaciers is evidence of climate change as they are sensitive to climate and climate change and play an important role in the process of enlargement and reduction that can be detected by the measurement of length, area and mass/volume on the appropriate time scale. The continuous retreat of the glaciers has a widespread impact on the habitats, species and most importantly the perennial resource of fresh water. The Himalaya is a great glacier system on the earth after the Polar Regions and called the 'Third Pole'. Recent glacier inventory indicates that there are 9575 glaciers in the Indian part of the Himalaya covering an area of about 38221 km2 (Geological Survey of India, 2009). Major rivers like the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra are fed mainly by the glacial melt-runoff from these glaciers. It is therefore important to understand the past history and the present position of these glaciers and to monitor their extent in response to climatic change. It is a well-established fact that glacier coverage in the Himalayan mountains underwent considerable changes during the last decades. Monitoring of few glaciers in the Himalaya on a regular basis indicates that the glaciers are receding with enhanced rates. However, in some regions, the observed reduction in glacier area is comparably higher than other parts of the Himalaya and can be defined by the fluctuation in regional firn line/snowline limit that ranges in altitudes from 4500 to 5700m for the west to East Himalaya. In the present study, snout positions of few glaciers in the Indian part of the Himalaya have been studied for the period from 1962-2010. The morphological and anatomical changes have been co-related with temporal affinity in relation to length, area and mass volume of the glacier and results provide some of the clear impression of continuous retreat. But the rate of retreat varies from glacier to glacier and ranges from 5 to 20m/year. This wide range of retreating rates suggested that besides the climate change, the bedrock topography, slope, shape, size and thickness of the glacier as well as surface conditions for ablation (debris cover etc) also play an important role in the process of glacier retreat rates.
Email: rasik@ncaor.org, rasikravindra@yahoo.co.in Director, National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Science, Government of India, Goa
Rasik Ravindra is the Director of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, an autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India since 2006. He has worked in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Meghalaya and led geological expeditions to higher Himalaya during his 35 years of service in Geological Survey of India. His association with the Antarctic dates back to 1987 when he joined Seventh Indian Expedition to the Antarctic. Subsequently, he led the Ninth Antarctic Expedition in 1989-91 and visited the icy continent again in 1996-97, 2003-04, 2007 and 2009 in different capacities. In 2010 he led the First Indian Expedition to the South Pole. He is also credited with leading an Environmental Task Force in the Antarctic, Task Force on the selection of a site for Bharati, the third Indian Station in the Antarctic, the First Indian Arctic Expedition and establishing - Himadri – the Indian station in the Arctic. He is Vice President of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), Chairman of INSA Committee of SCAR, and current Chairman of Asian Forum on Polar Sciences. He has led Indian delegations to international Polar bodies such as ATCM, COMNAP and IASC since 2006. He has received National Mineral Award-1990, Antarctic Award-2002 and Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award-2011 for his contributions to the advancement of Polar sciences in India. Evolution of Rocky Oases in East Antarctic: Study by Indian Scientists. The Indian Antarctic expeditions have had a significant component of earth sciences right from the inception of the national Antarctic Programme. While geological mapping and geophysical investigations helped in understanding the crustal evolutionary history over central Dronning Maud land and nature of the basement between Schirmacher and Wohlthat Mountains respectively, several programmes were launched to unravel the palaeoclimate history of the Antarctic Oases, their deglaciation and evolution. The coastal regions of east Antarctic, especially the rocky oases offer an excellent example of the evolution of ice-free areas, given rise to by the retreat of the ice cap and consequential uplifting of the landmass. The geomorphological mapping that has revealed the existence of comparatively higher relief of the structural hills with steep escarpment on the northern peripheries of the landmass in the mountain belt, parallel to the Antarctic coast, lend support to this observation. The architectural patterns of most of the Antarctic oases have evolved under the different processes of deposition and erosion, in a periglacial environment. The radiocarbon dating of the lake sediments from the central part of the oasis (Pawan et al., 2011) have revealed that the area was deglaciated in the early part of Holocene or slightly before it and that a system of lakes had evolved making use of the depressions carved out by glacial scouring. The studies of pollens in sediment cores (Bera, 2004, Phartiyal et al. 2011) have established three different climates- warm and humid and warm humid in the Schirmacher. The rolling topography, absence of sharp peaks, glacial striations and polishing on the rock exposures on the hilltops as also the existence of en echelon pattern of the Roche moutonees over a large area in the oases, is indicative of an extensive erosional regime in operation. The wind-scoured features on the bare rocks and the SEM studies have shown weathering features varying in scale from mega cavernous pits to the microscopic wind ablation pattern on the quartz grains, later superimposed on the glacial imprints, implying the long period of exposure of the terrain to the weathering processes after the retreat of ice mass. The depositional landforms, given rise by the glacial and fluvioglacial processes are represented by the moraines, terraces, lacustrine deposits, patterned ground, presence of erratic boulders on hilltops etc. The glacial valleys clearly demarcate different directions of flow of the glaciers, in different oases e.g. Schirmacher, Vest fold, Grovnes, Bunger Oases etc, once the ice cap withdrew from the hilltops. Most of these fossil glacial valleys were later occupied by meltwater streams in the summer or warmer periods as indicated by the vertical sections of the glacial till deposits. The sediments deposited in the lakes during the austral summer and lack of sedimentation in the Polar winters has resulted in the preservation of a good depositional record that can be unravelled through the sediment cores. These cores serve as an ideal proxy when dated by TL and C14 methods and help as a strong tool for palaeoclimate studies. The marine sediments cores from the polynya and adjoining area of the ice shelf together with micro-palaeontological and seawater chemistry studies serve as an additional long-range record of the past climate. Shallow ice cores from the continental ice sheet and the grounded icebergs often yield a high-resolution climate data for part of the Holocene. Such studies have been undertaken in Schirmacher Oases and Larsemann Hills by Indian Scientists and throw significant light on the evolutionary process of such oases.
GEmail: alr0400@mail.jnu.ac.in,alrjnu@gmail.com Professor, School of Environmental Studies Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
Prof. A L Ramanathan is currently a professor in School of Environmental Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and is a doctorate in Geology. He has guided 15 Ph.D.s and 5 Ph.D.s are in progress. His areas of specialization/ research interests include Environmental Geology, Hydrogeochemistry, Biogeochemistry, Glaciology, Water Resource Management and Coastal Zone Management. He is teaching in JNU since 2000. Prior to this, he was a Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Geology, Annamalai University, Tamilnadu. He is the recipient of 13 awards and honours the recent is Young scientist award (project) IFS, Sweden (2009-11). He has peer-reviewed 3 journals/ books and 5 publications. He has also worked on various projects in collaboration with international organisations. Glacier mass balance studies in Vestre Broggerbreen, Svalbard region. Most of the glaciers in Svalbard are of the surge-type and so the front position of a single glacier cannot be a good climatic indicator. As most of these are slow-moving, the front will shrink and retreat between surges and so the front position gives little information on whether the total ice mass is growing or shrinking. Mass balance measurements are therefore necessary to calculate the total volume change accurately. The mean winter accumulation on Brøggerbreen during the period 1967-1993 is 0.71 ±0.16 m (w.e.) and the mean summer ablation has been -1.15 ±0.31 m (w.e.) with a mean annual specific net mass balance of - 0.43 m (w.e.) as reported by earlier European studies. The Glacier Research Group, Jawaharlal Nehru University began mass balance monitoring on Vestre Broggerbreen in 2011, in collaboration with NCAOR, Goa and GSI, Lucknow. Ten- meter-deep stakes were fixed on Vestre Brøggerbreen Glacier by using the steam drill in the summer of 2011. On Vestre-I glacier (VB-I), 11 deep stakes were fixed in the Ablation Zone. On Vestre-II glacier (VB-II), 12 deep stakes were fixed both in the Accumulation Zone and the Ablation Zone. Thus, a network of a total of 23 deep stakes have been installed on Vestre Brøggerbreen Glacier. Apart from this Ground Penetrating Radar measurements were also made to assess ice thickness. The mass balance monitoring will be continued in the upcoming summer and the first fruits of Indian cryospheric research in Svalbard are expected in 2012. Co-authors: Parmanand Sharma, NCAOR, Goa
Director, Amity Institute of Environmental Sciences, Amity University
Holding the position of the Director of NCPOR (formerly NCPOR) between 2006 and 2012 after relinquishing the post of Deputy Director-General in Geological Survey of India, Ravindra is a veteran Antarctican. He has led the Ninth Antarctic Expedition in 1989-91, visiting the icy continent in 1987-88,1996-97, 2003-04, 2007 and 2009-10 in various capacities. Ravindra has also led the first Indian Expedition to the South Pole, the first Indian Arctic Expedition apart from expeditions to Higher Himalaya in Bhutan. He was Chairman of the DST Programme Monitoring Committee on “Dynamics of Himalayan Glaciers from 2007 to 2012 and was appointed Chair, Panikkar Professor in October 2012 by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. Ravindra has served as a Member of the UN Commission on Limits of Continental Shelf for the term 2014-2017 as also the Secretary General of the 36th International Geological Congress 2019-2020. He has received National Award for Polar Sciences and Cryosphere, 2013, National Mineral Award- 1990, Antarctic Award- 2002, H. N. Siddiqui Gold Medal from IGU in 2011, Prof Prem Bahadur Verma Memorial Lecture award, Prof R C Mishra Memorial Gold Medal 2017 and Dr WD West Oratory Award, 2018 and LifeTime Achievement Award from the Paleontological society of India.
Ravichandran has worked as a scientist in Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in the field of Atmospheric Science, National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in the field of Ocean Observing System and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in the field of ocean observing system and ocean modelling. His research interests include atmospheric physics and ocean dynamics, ocean observing systems and ocean modelling among others. He is a member of Scientific Steering Group of the WCRP (CLIVAR). Ravichandran is also the current Vice-Chair of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, India. He has several publications in peer reviewed journals of national and international repute. Ravichandran is the recipient of the National Award for Ocean Sciences and Technology.
Serving as the Research Director at the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) since September 2011 Koç is also an adjunct professor at the University of Tromsø. She received her doctoral degree in marine geology/palaeoceanography from the University of Bergen in 1993 and qualified as a professor in 2003. Nalan has over 20 years of experience with climate interpretations from polar marine sediment cores and has participated and led many cruises in the Nordic Seas, Arctic Ocean and the Southern Ocean and also participated in several ODP and IODP cruises. She has extensive experience in polar climate research and management through her previous positions at NPI as leader of the Polar Climate Programme (2004-2009) and as head of Centre for Ice, Climate and Ecosystems (ICE), NPI (2009-2011) and in her present position as research director. Koç has also served in several international science panels (i.e. CLIVAR, PAGES, ESSAC).
Email: victor.smetacek@awi.de
Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany
Prof Dr Victor Shahed Smetacek is a citizen of India and retired Professor of Biological Oceanography at the University of Bremen, Germany and Head of the Division of Pelagic Ecosystems at AWI. His research interests are focussed on the relationship between plankton ecology, ocean biogeochemistry and climate. He served as Chief Scientist on numerous interdisciplinary, international cruises onboard RV 'Polarstern' the last three of which carried out iron fertilisation experiments in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. He has served on International Scientific Steering Committees of various research programmes, on the Scientific Councils of institutions in Germany and abroad and has received several prestigious awards for excellence in research, most recently the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award 2012.
Distinguished Professor, India Space Research Organization, HQ, Bangalore
Dr P. S. Goel, former Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Earth Sciences is currently Raja Ramanna Chair Professor at NIAS, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Bangalore. He has contributed significantly to the development of magnetic altitude control system, mission planning for remote sensing, communication and scientific missions and authored over 100 research papers in referred journals and conferences. Dr Goel developed the spin axis orientation system, Bhaskara I & II satellites, magnetic control for spinning satellites, momentum biased 3-axis control system for APPLE, zero momentum-based 3¬axis control system for IRS. V, and, configuration momentum biased altitude control system for highly stabilised INSAT-2. Dr Goel developed a very agile control system with step and stare capability to spot imaging mission TES and guided the evolution of re-entry capability for SRE Mission.
Dr Goel was Chairman, Spacecraft System Advisory Board for IRS-1, Project engineer AOCS for APPLE and Associate Project Director INSAT-I. He was Head, Control System Division, Group Director AOCS, Deputy Director Mission and Control Area, Associate Director of ISAC and was Director ISRO Satellite Centre from 1997 to 2005. He was DRDO Chair at RCI/ DRDO Hyderabad pursuing space for National Security. Dr Goel was awarded Padma Shri in 2001. He has received several awards including Life Time Achievement Award of the Aeronautical Society of India and Distinguished Scientist Award of ISRO. He is fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad; Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi; Institution of Electronic & Telecommunication Engineers, New Delhi; Aeronautical Society of India, Bangalore and Third World Academy of Sciences. He has recently been honoured with Fellowship of Indian Society of Systems for Science and Engineering.
Email: secretary@moes.gov.in
Secretary to the Government of India,
Ministry of Earth Sciences,
New Delhi
Dr Shailesh Nayak is the Secretary to the Government of India for the Ministry of Earth Sciences, since August 2008. He has been providing leadership for the programmes related to the science of climate change, weather services, polar science, ocean modelling, ocean survey and resources, and ocean technology. He chaired an expert group set up by the Planning Commission to establish National GIS in the country. Dr Nayak obtained his Ph. D. degree in Geology from the M. S. University of Baroda in 1980. He joined the Space Applications Centre, in 1978. Dr Nayak was appointed as the Director, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad in 2006. At INCOIS, he set up a state-of-the-art Early Warning System for Tsunami and Storm Surges in the Indian Ocean. Dr Nayak is the Chairman of the Research Advisory Committee of the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa as well as the Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram. He is the Chair, Governing Board, Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany, Lucknow.
Dr Nayak is the recipient of the prestigious ISC Vikram Sarabhai Memorial Award 2012. He has been awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science by the Andhra University in 2011. Dr Nayak is also the recipient of the Bhaskara Award for 2009, the National Mineral Award for the year 2005 and the Indian National Remote Sensing Award for 1994 by the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Dehradun. He was Member of the Editorial Board of the Indian Journal of Marine Science, and currently Chair of Planet Earth, and an Editor of Geospatial Today. Dr Nayak is currently the Chair, Regional Integrated Multi-hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) and the Indian Ocean Observing System Resource Forum (IRF), and the President, Indian Meteorological Society (IMS) and the Indian Society of Geomatics (ISG). He was the Vice-Chair of the Inter-Governmental Coordinating Group on Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (ICGIOTWS) (2007-2011); was the President of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Dehradun; and also was the Chairman, Indian Ocean– Global Ocean Observing System (IO-GOOS) for the term 2006-10. Dr Nayak was the President, International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), Technical Commission (TC) IV on ‘Geo-databases and Digital Mapping’ for the term 2004-08. Dr Nayak has published about 80 papers in International and National journals and atlases.
Email: geographyandyou2001@yahoo.co.uk
President, LIGHTS,
Editor, Geography and You
Ms Sulagna Chattopadhyay is known for internationally reputed journo-magazine on environment and development titled ‘Geography and You’, (G'nY) that she founded in 2001. An M.Phil. from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, she has published 123 issues of the magazine so far. She is also a founding President of an NGO, Learning in Geography, Humanities, Technology and Science (LIGHTS) and has been organising national and international conferences/seminars, notable among these are Round table conclave on seas and oceans around India, National Conference on Science & Geopolitics on Arctic and Antarctic (SaGAA) in 2011, SaGAA in 2012, SaGHAA in 2015 and SaGHAA in 2017. The LIGHTS has organised a multi-city GIS training programme for school teachers in seven locations under her leadership. She was nominated as the Member of the Working Group for Disaster Management in the Planning Commission in 2011. She also won an Environmental Documentary Short Film Contest, STL- 2: 2015 for her short film titled 'O Bhai Saab'. Sulagna has edited 12 books, prominent among them are 'the Scientific and Geopolitical Interests in Arctic and Antarctic' co-edited with Dr R Ramesh and Dr M Sudhakar in 2103 and the’ Science and Geopolitics of White World co-authored with Dr P S Goel and Dr Rasik Ravindra’ published by Springer in 2017.
Email: meenakumarib@gmail.com
Deputy Director General (Fisheries),
Indian Council of Agricultural Research,
New Delhi.
Dr B. Meenakumari is responsible for research and development/policy support and decisions in the inland and marine fisheries sector, fish production from aquaculture and fishing industry in India. She has secured her PhD from the University of Kerala in 1989 on Ecobiology of Fouling and received a gold medal. She has been the recipient of prestigious awards like the Young Scientist award by Kerala State in 1989, Panjab Rao Deshmukh Women Scientist Award 2002 instituted by ICAR, the Marie Curie Mahila Vijnana Puraskar, 2010, the Bhoominirman Award-2011, and the Dr R.S.Paroda Gold Medal for outstanding contributions in Fisheries, 2012. She has developed and commercialised combination of wire ropes for deep-sea demersal trawls thus substituting import of the ropes. Contributions were made to the development of deep-sea demersal trawls and towards improved material for lobster making traps, thus helping the traditional fishermen gain better economic returns. She has popularised new and cheaper materials like polypropylene and nylon monofilament for gillnet fisheries in both inland and marine sector. She is actively working to conserve resources for the sustainable development of Indian fisheries and is interested in impact assessment and environmental monitoring. She has published more than 180 articles. Dr B. Meenakumari said that there is no need to influence politics with science. However, when there is a discussion on the Arctic and Antarctic one cannot do away with politics, as these regions come under no man‟s land or territory, thereby politics cannot be excluded in this area. She said that on the Indian scientists who have worked extensively on Antarctica and Arctic his great responsibility to protect the special role of India. She specifically pointed out that 1983 Chile supported 201 scientists, Germany produces over 60 per cent of Antarctic research papers, Argentina 18 papers and 250 core personnel, UK 80 personnel and 181 scientific papers. She urged Indian to think in a work diligent way on how much resources are being spent on the research and what is the outcome in the field.
Email: sudhakarstore@gmail.com
Advisor and Scientist G,
Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India,
New Delhi
Dr Maruthadu Sudhakar obtained M.Sc. Tech in Applied Geology and Ph. D (1994) from Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad. He also obtained a Master's degree in Law of the Sea and Marine Policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science, the UK as a British Council Fellow. Dr Sudhakar has served - National Institute of Oceanography (NIO; 1982-1997) and National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR; 1997-2009) in Goa as project leader and a scientist in various grades. He has contributed extensively in the field of oceanography/ offshore surveys/ Polar sciences/ marine technology. Presently he is serving as an Advisor and Scientist ‘G’ in the Ministry of Earth Science, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and is heading the Awareness and Outreach Programmes and Vessel Management Divisions of the Ministry. Dr Sudhakar is a veteran oceanographer and was a leader in major national thrust programmes such as the Survey and Exploration of Polymetallic Nodules in the Indian Ocean, Oceanography studies of the Southern Ocean, Delineation of Continental Shelf demarcation, etc. His major scientific contributions include delineation of major nodule deposits in Central Indian Basin, demarcation of potential areas for resource development; discovery of a large pumice field, zeolite deposits micro craters on Australasian microtektites, mapping the seabed and charting the bathymetry of Prydz Bay. Dr Sudhakar is an Elected Member of the Legal & Technical Commission (LTC) of the International Seabed Authority (ISBA). He is the designated 'Commissioner' of Govt. of India for the Yeosu Expo 2012. He published over 60 research papers in referred international/national journals. Dr Sudhakar started by saying that he appreciated the efforts of LIGHTS, Research Foundation to organise this international conference on the field of that undertakes controversial issues. He thanked all the institutional rational scientists from all around the globe to accept to present their papers. He congratulated LIGHTS to take the initiative and deliver great standards. He stated that the way to deal in the area of Antarctic and Arctic is with the complete hand in hand approach of science and politics towards the issues.
Email: ajit.tyagi@gmail.com
Former Director-General
India Meteorological Department
New Delhi
Air Vice-Marshal (Dr) Ajit Tyagi is a Permanent Representative of India with the World Meteorological Organisation and elected member of its Executive Council. Dr Tyagi is a member of WMO Panels on Polar Meteorology and Global Framework on Climate Services (GFCS). He has served as Director-General of Meteorology, India Met Department, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Meteorology) and Principal Director (Information Technology) in Indian Air Force. Dr Tyagi has successfully executed the first phase of the modernisation programme of India Met Department and has formulated the Himalayan Meteorology Programme. Dr Tyagi is a fellow of India Meteorological Society and member of a number of professional committees. He has been commended by Chief of Air Staff and awarded Vishistha Sewa Medal by President of India for his distinguished services to the nation. Dr Ajit Tyagi said that the paramount of the scientists is the credibility of the confidence of the layman and the politicians around the world. The larger goal of society should be emphasized in this field of research and study that can benefit the world as a whole. A lot of science needs to be done, observations need to be focused and more data needs to be collected. He said that only good science can lead to good geopolitics.
Email: timo.koivurova@ulapland.fi
Research Professor
Director of the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law, Arctic Centre/University of Lapland, Finland
Timo Koivurova is a Research Professor, Director of the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law, Arctic Centre/the University of Lapland; Docent of International Law, Faculty of Law, Economics and Business Administration/the University of Eastern Finland; Docent of International Law, Faculty of Law/the University of Turku. Professor Timo Koivurova has specialised in various aspects of international law applicable in the Arctic and Antarctic region. His research work addresses the interplay between different levels of environmental law, the legal status of indigenous peoples, Law of the Sea in the Arctic waters, integrated maritime policy in the EU, the role of law in mitigating/adapting to climate change, the function and role of the Arctic Council in view of its future challenges and the possibilities for an Arctic treaty. Currently, professor Koivurova is one of the co-leads in the EU Commission funded Arctic footprint project and, together with professor Kai Kokko, leading a research team to examine the EU competencies affecting the Arctic, a study that will be done for the European Parliament. Professor Koivurova is a member of the IUCN’s Commission on Environmental (CEL) and has been invited by the Norwegian Research Council to serve as a member in the steering committees’ overseeing large research programmes: Geopolitikk-Nord, which examines the evolving Arctic policy from the Norwegian perspective; and NORRUSS, which aims to study the evolving northern policy of the Russian Federation. Professor Koivurova is also – together with Professor Gudmundur Alfredsson – editor-in-chief of the Yearbook of Polar Law. Dr Timo Koivurova said that there exists a very widely accepted strong governance of Geopolitics in National and International level in both the Polar regions. He said that the presence of the Arctic Council and Convention for Biological Diversity (CBD) is not enough as there is much more International space and we require more ambitious government interventions. He also said it is our duty as academics to provoke the sense of trust issues, stewardship, principals that can help open a window of opportunity and as scientists to present our ideas on the scientific work being done on both the Polar regions within the realm of Polar vulnerability at the right time.
Email: John.Bowman@utas.edu.au
Associate Professor,
School of Agricultural Science,
University of Tasmania, Australia
John Bowman is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the School of Agricultural Science, University of Tasmania. He is acting leader of the Food Safety Centre of the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture. His research areas include stress physiology, molecular ecology, genomics, proteomics, Antarctic ecosystems, food microbiology, aquaculture, bioremediation, and psychrophilic bacteria. He has published over 100 research papers and 20 book chapters. He has been Associate Editor of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology since 2004 and is currently a member of the Editorial Board of F.E.M.S. Microbiology Ecology; he is the current Chair of Microbial Ecology Australian Society of Microbiology Special Interests Group and has been a member of the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology since 1999. He received an ARC Research Fellowship in 1999-2003, Frank Fenner Award for Microbiology (Australian Society of Microbiology) in 2002 and in 2005 a Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Dean’s Award for Research Excellence. Dr John P. Bowman said that the area of Polar geopolitics and science is very vast and wide and that there are many commercial interests that also combine with various geopolitical aspects, thereby harnessing the actual resources of the Arctic and Antarctic in some form or the other. He spoke about the „future crisis‟ to be brought by the ever-increasing trend of world population, resulting to the scarcity of resources and shortage of food supply, the consequences and effects of which will be detrimental and this situation will be the same everywhere around the world. He emphasized on scientific integrity and said that what is important and required is the role of fair and really good science, good attitude, and selfless work to fight future challenges that the world will have to face as one. He credited the i-SaGAA 2012 for helping to bring a platform where such vital issues can be realized and understood to help take the best actions for the coming future.
Email: rasik@ncaor.org, rasikravindra@yahoo.co.in
Director,
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research,
Ministry of Earth Science, Government of India, Goa
Rasik Ravindra is the Director of the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, an autonomous research institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India since 2006. He has worked in Rajasthan, Haryana, and Meghalaya and led geological expeditions to higher Himalaya during his 35 years of service in Geological Survey of India. His association with the Antarctic dates back to 1987 when he joined Seventh Indian Expedition to the Antarctic. Subsequently, he led the Ninth Antarctic Expedition in 1989-91 and visited the icy continent again in 1996-97, 2003-04, 2007 and 2009 in different capacities. In 2010 he led the First Indian Expedition to the South Pole. He is also credited with leading an Environmental Task Force in the Antarctic, Task Force on the selection of a site for Bharati, the third Indian Station in the Antarctic, the First Indian Arctic Expedition and establishing - Himadri – the Indian station in the Arctic. He is Vice President of Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), Chairman of INSA Committee of SCAR, and current Chairman of Asian Forum on Polar Sciences. He has led Indian delegations to international Polar bodies such as ATCM, COMNAP and IASC since 2006. He has received National Mineral Award-1990, Antarctic Award-2002 and Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award-2011 for his contributions to the advancement of Polar sciences in India. Rasik Ravindra said that the various talks given in the Conference contribute to a great variety of work done on the Polar regions. He told that there is no such platform that deals with subjects on Arctic and Antarctic in the External Affair Ministry or Ministry of Foreign Affairs in India. He also told that in the 1970s‟ the importance of divulgence in this field was realized by Smt. Indira Gandhi and that science was the currency to the Antarctic. He said that understanding that the global atmospheric processes are very intricately linked and that environmental changes in the Tropical or Polar regions will eventually affect the whole planet as one, and therefore it is important for India to recognize a certain platform in these regions as a country and along with doing great scientific work also realize its stand in the geopolitics of Arctic and Antarctic.
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