An international observational campaign will be held at the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research (ACARR) at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) on November 30 and December 1.
The initiative is part of the Indo-French project, ‘Variability of the upper-level Asian monsoon anticyclone and mechanisms of its coupling with tropospheric monsoon convection’ between Cusat and Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (LMD), Paris.
The campaign, titled BRAVEx (Balloon Radar Vertical Velocity Experiment), will be led by Ajil Kottayil from ACARR and Aurelien Podglajen from LMD. The objective of the campaign is to enhance one’s theoretical and observational understanding of high-frequency gravity waves at the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS), according to a communication.
These waves have a huge impact on ice cloud formation in the UTLS region, which can eventually affect climate. “Currently, our understating of high frequency gravity waves and their link with ice clouds is limited, and this campaign could throw more insights into this. Unique vertical velocity measurements from ACARR radar and balloon borne instruments will be used for the campaign,” said Dr. Kottayil.
It was the first-ever international observational campaign in Atmospheric Sciences being conducted at Cusat, he added.
