Considering that the knowledge on ocean dynamics is a prerequisite for prediction of ocean state for utilisation of ocean resources in a sustainable way, the department has launched a programme for development of a series of ocean models. The models envisaged under the programme would contribute to understanding of the oceanographic process of the northern Indian Ocean. Some of the achievements under the programme during the year are as follows:

6.2.1 Indian Ocean Modelling and Dynamics (INDOMOD)

The project is designed to generate a series of wide ranging ocean models to meet the requirement of operational ocean state forecasts. The institutes associated in this endeavour are Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Computer Stimulation (C- MMACS), National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) and Cochin University. The C-MMACS is the nodal agency for co-ordination of the project.

During the year, experiments were conducted to determine sensitivity of biological productivity models, which would be useful for forecasting the fisheries. Ocean General Circulation Models (OGCM) were run to determine the temperature and salinity profiles in the Northern Indian Ocean. The hybrid coupled model for understanding the intra-seasonal variability of the Northern Indian Ocean developed were validated with the data collected from the buoys. The studies revealed that 2 dominant inter-decadal modes of variability occur in the Northern Indian Ocean. Experiments were carried out with storm surge studies and regional wave prediction model. Reduced gravity model was run for simulating the upper ocean circulation to study the inter-annual variability of Indian monsoon.

6.2.2 Joint Global Ocean Flux Study - JGOFS (India)

The objective of this study is to predict long term oceanic variability primarily due to climate changes. The JGOFS launched in 1993 to estimate the carbon fluxes is a core project of International Biosphere-Geosphere Programme (IGBP) for understanding the global scale processes controlling the time varying fluxes of carbon and associated biogenic elements in the ocean and develop capability to predict the changes in biogenic chemical processes due to climate change.

During the year, proposals were developed for undertaking the project entitled "Bay of Bengal Process Studies (BOBPS)" which is a part of the JGOFS programme in the Northern Indian Ocean. The observations under BOBPS project would be carried out in the Bay of Bengal. Analysis of multi-disciplinary data collected under the JGOFS- Arabian Sea programme would be continued. Synthesis of results from JGOFS-Arabian Sea programme would be completed to assess the role of Arabian Sea in the global carbon cycle.

6.2.3 Land Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ)

The LOICZ project envisages estimation of fluxes of material in the land and ocean boundary and its variability for understanding the changes in the coastal zones at regional and global scale particularly with respect to global climate change. The primary objective of the programme is to determine carbon associated elemental fluxes in the coastal areas of India, which are potential contributors to land-ocean interaction, with a view to improving the predicative capability of changes of the coastal zones of India. Two coastal areas such as Godavari Basin and Eastern Arabian Sea Margin have been considered for undertaking these studies. The institutes associated with the programme are National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Andhra University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Anna University. During the year three multi-disciplinary cruises in the west coast of India were conducted for measurement of parameters required for estimation of fluxes of elements along the continental margin of the eastern Arabian Sea. Field experiments were carried out in the Godavari River to determine seasonal fluxes of various sediments into the Bay of Bengal and data is being processed.