The Earth’s climate is modulated by Land-Air-Ocean interactions through
Geosphere-Biosphere-Atmospheric processes. These interactive forces regulate
equilibrium in the weather and climate. Indiscriminate land use practices, fossil fuel
burning, increased vehicular traffic, loss of vegetation cover, etc. are leading to exert
changes in the radiative forcing reaching the Earth’s surface.
The temporal and spatial scales of changes in the Earth’s climate, result in changes
of natural cycles of monsoon, vagaries in the form of natural disasters, increased
temperatures on surface and oceans, loss of soil moisture, decrease in the extent of
snow/glaciers, changes in plant productivity etc. Cumulatively these inflict irrecoverable
changes to the climate. Realizing the importance of temporal and spatial scales in
Geospheric and Biospheric exchange processes, Indian Space Research Organization
(ISRO) during the 11th Five year plan (FYP), focused its objectives mainly on addressing
large-scale issues that contribute to the overall understanding of parameters responsible
for our climate change.
No region in the country receives more varied meteorological phenomena than
Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) and its vicinity. And yet, there is no atmospheric science
program at the Department of Physics, Sri Krishnadevaraya University (SKU) campus;
Anantapur [14.62o N, 77.65o E, 331m above sea level]. Anantapur located in Southeast India
represents a very dry semi-arid, rain shadow and continental region of Rayalaseema,
Andhra Pradesh, India. This region receives very little rain fall and the average annual
rain fall is above the order of 450mm. Within a 50 km radius, this region is surrounded by
a number of cement plants, lime kilns, slab polishing and brick making units.
In view of the regional importance ISRO, Bangalore has selected S.K. University,
Department of Physics, Anantapur as a Nodal Centre and extended all infrastructure and
research facilities worth of 8 crores with the following objectives in various ISRO-GBP
activities:
