India, US to reactivate Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS)

Why in the news?

India and the US have decided to reactivate the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS).

What is IndOOS?

• Established in 2006, the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS) comprises moored buoys strategically placed across the Indian Ocean.
• It consists of a network of 36 moored buoys in the high seas to collect high-resolution ocean and atmospheric data for weather forecasts.
• These buoys measure various parameters like seawater temperature, salinity, ocean currents, atmospheric humidity, and wind speed.
• IndOOS originally focused on understanding and predicting the monsoon.
• It now aids in climate modelling under changing climatic conditions and predicts extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and cyclones.

Objectives of IndOOS include:

1. The primary objective of IndOOS is to provide continuous and high-quality oceanographic and meteorological data to support informed decision-making and improve scientific understanding of weather and climate.
2. It aims to foster partnerships among Indian Ocean countries and beyond to enhance long-term monitoring and forecasting capabilities.

Need for IndOOS

• The Indian Ocean region, home to nearly one-third of the global population, faces significant vulnerabilities due to climate change and extreme weather events.
• Fisheries and rain-dependent agriculture in these regions are heavily influenced by the monsoon, making accurate weather forecasts crucial for mitigating potential damage to crops and livelihoods.
• The Indian Ocean’s influence extends beyond its boundaries, redistributing heat across the planet and modulating the climate in the Pacific, North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.

Observing Networks under IndOOS

• The framework for IndOOS comprises five observing networks:

1. Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA)
2. Profiling floats (part of the global Argo array)
3. Surface drifters (Global Drifter Program, GDP)
4. Repeat temperature lines (eXpendable Bathy Thermograph (XBT) network)
5. Tide gauges

• These networks are complemented by satellite observations of surface wind, sea level, temperature, salinity, rainfall, and ocean color.

Partnerships and Support:

• IndOOS originated from discussions among scientists during the First International Conference on the Ocean Observing System for Climate (OceanObs) in 1999.
• An implementation plan for IndOOS was developed by the Indian Ocean Panel, established under the Climate and Ocean Variability, Predictability, and Change (CLIVAR) and Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission – Global Ocean Observing System (IOC-GOOS) programs.