The Hindu Business Line : ISRO signs climate data access pact with CNES

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and its French counterpart CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales) have agreed to allow scientists free access to data from their joint tropical climate study satellite, Megha Tropiques.

A joint working group signed an agreement on the data distribution policy after a two-day review meeting in Goa over the weekend. ISRO’s Chairman, Dr G. Madhavan Nair, and the CNES President, Dr Yannick d`Escatha, were present, an ISRO release here said.

The satellite, due for launch in late 2009, is being built and launched by ISRO and has four vital French payloads. The two sides will jointly validate and calibrate the instruments and data before they are distributed.

The teams emphasised the need for space-based observations for climate, environment and disaster management.

“This policy enables the global scientific community to have free access to Megha Tropiques data after calibration and evaluation of the payloads by scientists from both the agencies for weather and climate change studies.

“The data is expected to enhance a better understanding of the tropical weather phenomena including the monsoons,” the release said.

Part of the project is a small satellite Saral, with CNES payloads. It will study ocean parameters that are otherwise not covered. Periodic ocean data will improve weather forecast, the release said.

Saral carries a Ka-band altimeter and a payload for reception of ARGO floats deployed over all the oceans. The altimeter data will support preparedness during any tsunami disaster and enable study of coastal environment, among others.

More Stories on : Climate & Weather | Science & Technology

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page