- A new cutting-edge COsmic-ray Soil Moisture Observation System (COSMOS) has been
launched by Prof. V.K. Gaur, Distinguished Scientist, CSIR Fourth Paradigm Institute,
Bangalore & Chairman, Governing Council, IITM on 31 January 2017. A network of
field-scale soil moisture monitoring stations is being developed across India
(COSMOS-India) under the NERC-MoES program using cosmic-ray soil moisture sensors
(CRS). The IITM CRS is the latest addition to the COSMOS-India network. Other
COSMOS-India network sites are located in southern Karnataka (3 sites), Dharwad
(1 site) and Kanpur (1 site). Additional sites will be added to the network over
the coming months.
A dedicated Hydrometeorology Research Unit (HMRU) has been set up at the Centre
for Climate Change Research (CCCR), IITM. The HMRU will coordinate the development
and implementation of observational and modeling activities in parternership with
the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) UK, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc),
the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, and University of Agricultural Sciences
(UAS), Dharwad. The COSMOS-India project will engage climate scientists and hydrologists
to enhance the knowledge base on water balance components (e.g., precipitation,
evapotranspiration, soil moisture and runoff etc.), and to develop a national Hydrological
Outlook for India.
