India, UK scientists team up for South Asian monsoon research

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Indian and British scientists will collaborate to improve forecast of South Asian monsoon, especially by using atmospheric research aircraft and ocean gliders to gather fresh data in the region.

Britain's Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Edward Davey said on Wednesday that the South Asian Monsoon research programme will receive about 8 million pounds (US$13.28 million) funding from UK's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences and the UK Met Office.

The programme will examine the monsoon's physical processes through a large-scale observational campaign, use the UK's BAe-146 atmospheric research aircraft and ocean gliders, and Indian research ships to gather fresh data in more detail than ever before.

“The monsoon is a hugely important part of people's livelihood here in India. It is also a very important part of the global climate system. This major new UK-India research initiative on the monsoon is a great example of how both the countries can work together to tackle global challenges,” said David while speaking at St Xavier's College in Mumbai.

The research will begin in 2015 and is expected to last between three and five years with each project to be led by one British and one Indian researcher.

The British team is headed by Hugh Coe (University of Manchester), Andy Turner (University of Reading) and Adrian Matthews (University of East Anglia).

The Indian team comprises of S Suresh Babu of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), G S Bhat and P N Vinayachandran, both from Indian Institute of Science.

UK and India have already invested over 150 million pound in research between the two nations.

(With Agency Inputs)