CSSTEAP COURSE ON SATELLITE METEOROLOGY AND GLOBAL CLIMATE, AT SAC, AHMEDABAD (SATMET-III)
A REPORT
P C Joshi, Course Director
B M Rao, Course Coordinator
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The Third Post Graduate Course on Satellite Meteorology and Global Climate, under the aegis of the UN affiliated CSSTEAP, was conducted at Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad during August 1, 2002 to April 30, 2003. 19 participants representing 13 countries of the Asia Pacific region attended the Course. The course was formally inaugurated on August 1, 2002. Director, CSSTEAP and Director, SAC were present on the occasion.
At thoroughly detailed syllabus on the basis of Grenada and Frascati documents of UN-OOSSA has been made for the course. The total Syllabus had been divided in to 3 units, each of 3 months duration. Unit-1 consisted of lectures covering Concepts in General and Satellite Meteorology, satellite and Ground Systems, Applications related to mainly qualitative interpretation of satellite imageries etc. Basics related to Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Programming were also touched upon. In Unit-2, Radiative transfer, Parameter Retrieval, Applications in Meteorology, Oceanography and Climate studies using digital data were covered, besides Numerical Modeling and Environment Problems. Unit-3 consisted of Pilot Project. This is to be later expanded into a one year Project to be carried out back in the respective home countries of the Participants.
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Faculty: |
Faculty members for this course were drawn mostly from the Meteorology and Oceanography Group, SAC. There were also a few scientists from the other Groups of Space Applications Centre, the Physical Research Laboratory, experts from India Meteorological Department, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Andhra University etc. Five Overseas Faculty members-one from Australia, Germany, USA and two from Japan also taught at the Course.
In addition to class room lectures during the morning hours, Practical using satellite data were conducted in the afternoons. The main work-horse for the practical were data from INSAT and NOAA satellites. Microwave Data Sets-SSM/I, TRMM etc. were also extensively used.
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Special Facilities: |
In November 2002, Dr K Kasturirangan, Chairman - GB, inaugurated a new campus of SPACE APP:ICATION. The SATMET-III course participants subsequently moved to the new spacious campus. A special Sat met Laboratory with modular structure, uninterrupted power supply and networking was commissioned for this course with twenty PC's and Servers. This facilitated easy access to various satellite data sets, software etc to each participant, participant, particularly during their three months pilot project phase. A dedicated high-speed Internet facility was established at the new campus. Special terminals for e-mail purposes were provided, which helped the participants in data downloading, browsing and also remain in touch with their families/office.
Versatile software package "ERDAS" on each terminal preceded much needed standardization in data processing (INSAT, NOAA etc.) to all the participants. This would help them immensely in the continuation of these activities back home. Liberty and e-mail facilities were also made available in good measure to the participants, both at the hostel and office. A set of three volumes of lecture notes edited and compiled by committee of senior scientists of SAC comprised the main resource material for the course. These were distributed in the beginning itself to all the participants.
  
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SEMINAR, TUTORIALS AND MAP DISCUSSIONS: |
Each participant gave two seminar during the course, On the topics related to their Pilot Projects. They also got an excellent exposure to working with numbers during the Tutorial sessions where a number of simple, yet conceptual problems were discussed and solver in the class. Participants enjoyed these sessions meant to enhance the problem solving capabilities.
The Participants had a rich experience in monitoring the progress of southwest monsoon over India. They were witness to the unprecedented failure of the summer monsoon resulting in the prolonged drought conditions over the country, the media coverage etc. The INSAT VHRR and CCD imageries received and processed at SAC provided them an excellent opportunity to study the life cycle of this important meteorological phenomenon in near real time. A Weekly Map discussion of the current Weather over Indian and the Asia-Pacific using satellite images and the weather charts available from various sources including Internet was conducted during first six months. Two participants per week collected all the required information and made power point presentations about the status of weather conditions. This gave them a good exposure to various web sites providing operational satellite data and forecasts and also helped them to keep track of various important meteorological events over their own region.
 
Although all the participants had declared good proficiency in English the actual level varied from person. After their interaction with the faculty for about a week, it was realized that about 10 participants would require refresher course in English. Accordingly, a 3 months English course was offered to them. These classes were held in the evening after the regular SATMET classes. Theses classes helped them immensely and were quite evident by their increased participant ion in the class room activities.
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Technical Visits: |
During the 9 month course, the participants visited some of the important institutions/laboratories in the country to have a first hand experience of the utilization of satellite data in operational environment. The technical tours included visits to:
- India Meteorological Department, New Delhi (Satellite Meteorology Division, NHAC).
- National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (NCMRWF), New Delhi.
- ISRO Satellite Centre (SAC), ISTRAC, Bangalore
- Regional Remote Sensing and Service Centre (RRSSC) and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), CSSTEAP Head Quarters, Dehradun
- National Institute of Oceanography, Goa
- National Centre for Antarctic & Oceanic Research (NCAOR), Goa
- Andhra University, Visakhapatnam
- National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), Hyderabad.
These tours were so designed that the participants not only ha an opportunity to visit excellent facilities of ISRO and other National Organisations, but also could get familiarized with the cultural heritage, diversity ad natural scenic beauty of various parts in India.
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