Satellite Based Climate Change Study

Abstract

The emerging scenario of global change indicates changes in the rainfall pattern over Indian region with possibilities of severe weather systems replacing the normal pattern of rainfall. One of the major factors is the variability of monsoon rainfall and its impact on agriculture and water management. The effects of global warming on the Indian subcontinent vary from the submergence of low-lying islands, frequent flooding, coastal degradation and melting of glaciers in the Indian Himalayas. Droughts, flash floods, cyclones, avalanches, landslides brought on by torrential rains, and snowstorms pose the greatest threats. Several global climate models are run using inputs from satellites and ancillary observations and results indicate high intensity rainfall events over Indian region leading to floods. The INSAT and IRS satellites in early 1980s heralded the era of Space observations. The IRS satellites are providing observations of parameters such as land use/cover, forest, water bodies and crops. INSAT provides quantitative products such as Cloud Motion Vectors (CMVs), Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs), Outgoing Long-wave Radiation (OLR), Vertical Temperature Profiles (VTPRs), Sea Surface Temperature. Currently INSAT satellites are providing global and regional observations. IRS satellites provide dynamic information on land cover, vegetation, soil conditions, which are directly relevant to the study of climate change. The parameters provided by satellites on an operational basis include vegetation, soil condition, rainfall, groundwater, land use/cover, ocean temperature and Ocean productivity. The data provided from the weather satellites when combined with the aforementioned information provide a unique database for study of climate change over India. Some of the unique studies include Mapping of Himalayan Glaciers, Biodiversity Mapping, Early Warning of Drought and Severe Weather Events. The paper presents several case studies leading to better understanding of climate change and its causative factors.