Atmospheric Research Testbed in Central India (ART-CI)

Background

  • Monsoon trough over the Central India, which comprises of monsoon core zone (MCZ), is one of the important components of regional climate system.
  • Detailed atmospheric measurements in MCZ wherein synoptic-scale disturbances (lows and depressions) often pass during monsoon were overdue.
  • Considering this importance, an Atmospheric Research Test bed in Central India (ART-CI) is established by IITM, MoES at Silkheda (50 km NW of Bhopal) for better understanding on processes governing monsoon convection.
  • ART-CI will have an extensive set of remote-sensing and in-situ instruments that will provide continuous observations of convection, clouds, precipitation, soil moisture, radiation, microphysics to capture major modes of variability.

A unique facility with all collocated measurements relevant to convection, clouds, precipitation and land-atmosphere interactions over core monsoon zone is envisaged and efforts are underway for its establishment in phased manner.