India-US Reactivate IndOOS: Boosting Oceanic Data Collection

• 12 Apr 2024

India and the US recently joined forces to revive the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), ensuring vital high-resolution oceanic and atmospheric data collection for enhanced weather predictions.

Key Points

• IndOOS Revival: India and the US decide to reactivate the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), comprising 36 moored buoys, to gather essential oceanic and atmospheric data.
• Neglect During Pandemic: IndOOS suffered neglect and disrepair during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to gaps in crucial observational data, particularly concerning the Indian Ocean Dipole and monsoon links.
• Collaborative Efforts: The reactivation plan for IndOOS was discussed during a meeting between Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran and Rick Spinrad, Administrator of NOAA.
• RAMA Programme: The moored buoys are part of the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) programme, a collaboration between India's Ministry of Earth Sciences and NOAA since 2008.
• Instrumentation Support: NOAA agrees to provide instrumentation, while India pledges ship-time from July to restart the RAMA array, requiring 60-90 days of ship-time.
• Pandemic Disruption: Deployment and maintenance cruises for the RAMA array were disrupted during the pandemic, leading to supply chain issues and servicing delays.
• Importance of Marine Observations: Observations from RAMA buoys are vital for various operational services like cyclone warnings, monsoon predictions, climate forecasts, and marine health assessments.