Sound Detection and Ranging (SODAR) system, developed by CSIR–Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal, was inaugurated at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), New Delhi, on the occasion of CSIR’s Foundation Day (26th September 2025).
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between CSIR-AMPRI and IMD to strengthen collaboration in meteorology, climate science, and disaster preparedness.
Key Highlights
MoU Purpose:
- To promote collaborative research in climate science and environmental studies.
- Focus on weather forecasting, climate variability, and disaster risk reduction.
- Enable data-sharing from SODAR systems deployed at multiple locations for forecasting, validation, and research.
- Support scientific innovation and provide societal applications that directly benefit vulnerable communities.
Significance of SODAR System:
- A ground-based remote sensing system used to determine wind profiles and temperature structure in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL).
- Detects turbulence parameters, enabling advanced wind profiling and environmental monitoring.
- Facilitates early warnings, climate studies, and disaster preparedness.
Future Outlook:
- The Delhi facility marks the first step in a larger rollout plan across India, especially in climate-sensitive regions.
- The partnership merges CSIR-AMPRI’s innovation with IMD’s operational expertise to boost India’s climate resilience and sustainable development goals.
About CSIR-AMPRI (Bhopal)
- Established: May 1981 as Regional Research Laboratory (RRL); renamed AMPRI in 2007.
- Mandate: R&D in engineering materials, lightweight alloys, composites, foams, nano-materials, waste-to-wealth technologies, and CSIR-800 societal projects.
- Current Focus Areas:
- Lightweight Materials (Al & Mg alloys, composites)
- Nanostructured Materials
- Smart & Functional Materials
- Waste to Wealth (fly ash, red mud applications)
- CSIR-800 projects (societal relevance).
- Facilities: Advanced processing, characterization, and simulation modelling for new materials development.
About SODAR (Sound Detection and Ranging)
- Nature: Active ground-based remote sensing device.
- Function: Provides vertical profiles of wind speed, direction, turbulence, and temperature in the lower atmosphere.
- Applications:
- Wind profiling for weather forecasting & aviation safety.
- Pollution studies (atmospheric dispersion).
- Renewable energy siting (wind energy projects).
- Disaster risk reduction in cyclones, storms, and air quality management.
CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research):
- Established: 1942.
- HQ: New Delhi.
- Autonomous body under the Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India.
- Operates 37 laboratories/institutes across India.
- Current DG (2025): N. Kalaiselvi (first woman DG of CSIR).
India Meteorological Department (IMD):
- Established: 1875.
- HQ: New Delhi.
- Nodal agency for weather forecasting, seismology, and meteorology, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.