Coastal zones are among the most vulnerable due to rapid global warming. The threat looms large over the Vizag coast with coastal erosion threatening to chew away the beach with each passing year. Understanding the intricate systems involved in the changing coastal morphology and devising long-term and short-term measures to arrest the phenomenon are the role of a team of scientific minds who work meticulously on conducting research and study.
At the exhibition held at National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) on the occasion of the 72 foundation day of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Friday, visitors learnt many such interesting studies conducted by the institute and the role of specialised scientific equipments.
There were echo-sounders, seismic profilers, side-scan sonars, magnetometers, current meters - all used to give a fair understanding of the world beneath the ocean surface.
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“The exhibition gives a fair understanding of various exhibits of geophysics and physical oceanography among other studies conducted by NIO,” said V.S.N. Murty, chief scientist, CSIR-NIO. For instance, there is the pH-metre that measures the acidity or alkalinity levels of water or any liquids. “If acidity levels of the sea water are high, it has an adverse impact on the aqua-marine lives,” Mr. Murty added.
There were several other equipments like IRMS (Isotope-Ratio Mass Spectrometry), an equipment that measures gases in water. Pictures of coastal erosion and the changing coastline of the region over the past three years were also kept at the exhibition. Research and equipments for marine environmental study, pollution control and ocean research are some of the areas of studies of NIO.