SSEC Goes to India
by Sanjay Limaye
From 30 January through 5 February, Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC) scientists Paul Menzel, Paolo Antonelli, and Sanjay Limaye taught a short course in remote sensing to 24 scientists at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in New Delhi, India. Local hosts were Dr Ashok Kumar Sharma, IMD Director for Satellite Meteorology, and Suman Goyal.
As in previous short courses, the content included materials on:
- radiation and the radiative transfer equation,
- spectral signatures from Earth’s surface and atmosphere,
- multi-spectral monitoring of land, ocean, and atmosphere,
- RGB image combinations for cloud and dust detection,
- sounding using infrared high resolution spectral data, and
- microwave detection of vertical changes of moisture in the atmosphere.
Forty hours of classroom work was split between lectures and laboratory exercises that emphasized investigation of high spatial resolution visible and infrared data (from MODIS), high spectral resolution infrared data (from AIRS and IASI), and microwave sounding data (AMSU).
Homework assignments and classroom tests verified that good progress was made in learning and mastering the materials presented.
Dr. Paul Menzel (center) and workshop attendees.
Students came from across India – Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Nagpur, Guwahati, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, and Delhi (including SSEC visitors Puviarasan, Mitra, and Giri). The level of expertise was surprisingly good and the student engagement in the course was excellent.
Dr. Paul Menzel with Dr. Aditi Singh (National Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, New Delhi, India)
and Dr. Manorama Mohanty (India, Meteorological Center, Mumbai)
in the hands-on lab session during the workshop to explore the MODIS data.
In addition, students participated in the 8th Satellite Meteorology Course organized by the Center for Space Science Technology Education for the Asia Pacific Region (CSSTEAP) at the Space Application Centre of ISRO in Ahmedabad, India.
From Left: Ms. Marina Karaseva (KYRGYZSTAN), Ms. Marodbekova Alima, (TAJIKISTAN), Mr. Denis Ryskal, (KRGYZSTAN), Ms. A.D. Gangani Fernando (SRI LANKA), Mr. Choe Kil Chol (DPR KOREA), Ms. Botayeva Makpal (KAZAKHSTAN), Mr. Pak Hyon Min (DPR KOREA), Mr. K.P. Harish Kumar (INDIA), Mr. Sami Kunwar (NEPAL),
Mr. T.M. Nadnalal Peris (Srilanka), Ms. Doljinsuren Myagmar (MONGOLIA), Ms. Nurakhmetova Ainash (KAZAKHSTAN), Ms. Noor Azra Binti Ahim (MALAYSIA), and Mr. Kh. Hafizur Rahman (BANGLADESH).
Seated in the front are Sanjay Limaye, B.M. Rao (Course Director) and Paul Menzel.
The students are from former CIS states, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Korea, Mongolia and India. This is a 9-month course hosted by ISRO in Satellite Meteorology. Upon the completion of a project in their home country, they can earn a Master's Degree from a university in India. Paul Menzel, Allen Huang, and Sanjay Limaye gave lectures to previous offerings of this course.
One of our recent visitors who returned to India was a participant of this course when Paul Menzel last participated in 2004/2005.
Several positive comments were made; here is one of the more flattering:
“You showed a right direction and made a platform for us in satellite meteorology. The lectures given by you and your team is marvelous. This is the first time I got such a wonderful training. Even in Madison I learned a little over three months of time. But the 6 days training by you opened lot of doors for us. Now I am going through your book. In the mean time I am using the hydra to familiarize with the commands and purpose."
Professor Menzel also gave the 7th Satish Dhawan Lecture at the India Space Research Organisation Space Applications Centre.
Back to Front Page
