IndARC

IndARC Observatory is the first Indian underwater moored observatory located in the arctic region. It was deployed in 2014 at Kongsfjorden fjord, Svalbard in Norway, which falls in the middle of Norway and the North Pole. The main goal of deploying this observatory is to study the Arctic climate. In many ways, the Arctic climate impacts the monsoon season. Hence, the IndARC researches on that too.

In this article, we shall discuss the development and background of IndARC, its objectives and more relevance from the IAS exam perspective. Thus, aspirants must go through the details discussed further below.

Development and Deployment of the IndARC Observatory

The Indian moored observatory was designed and developed by a group of scientists from various prestigious organizations like the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO), National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and finally, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).

The names of these organizations are a very important aspect of the UPSC Prelims and must be studied thoroughly.

After the completion of the development process, the IndARC was deployed in the Arctic by a research vessel owned by the Norwegian Polar Institute called the RV Lance on 23rd July 2014. Further, the RV Lance is also tasked to collect the data recorded by the IndARC throughout the course of a year and redeploy the sensors when the data has been collected.

The moored observatory is located at a depth of 192 meters and has its ten advanced sensors deployed in various strategic locations to gather the most accurate data possible.

Purpose of the IndARC Observatory

The IndARC observatory was deployed in the harsh conditions of the Arctic to collect data for a year to help scientists understand the Climatic conditions and processes in the Arctic, as well as its influence on the Indian monsoon system. The connection between the Arctic ice shelf and the deep sea, followed by their influence on the Indian climate changes, requires a very in-depth study over an annual seasonal cycle with very accurate data that the IndARC helps in accumulating.

Since the climatic conditions in the arctic are very harsh for the scientists to collect data throughout the year remotely from the location, the purpose behind it is to make this job easier with a moored observatory station remotely located to get the job done.

Sensors Present in the IndARC Observatory

The IndARC moored station has a set of very powerful and state-of-the-art sensors which help in accumulating very accurate data. Some of these sensors are:

1. Conductivity temperature depth (CTD) sensors
2. Fluorometer
3. Dissolved oxygen (DO) sensors
4. Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) sensors
5. Single-point current meter

Questions on these various sensors are very common in the chapter of IndARC UPSC and thus must be studied, as questions on this topic can be surely expected in the UPSC Exam.

Challenges Faced by IndARC

While the position of deployment of the IndARC is very strategic in order to get the best results possible, it still faces a few challenges.

1. The Kongsfjorden fjord region has a very low satellite coverage and is often covered with heavy clouds. This limits the use of the IndARC in a frequent manner.
2. While the IndARC is designed to collect data annually, its design limits proper data collection on a long-term basis as well as limits data collection during the ice-covered winter season.

Also, a thorough knowledge of IndARC is mandatory for IAS preparation. Skipping the topic is not encouraged. Knowing the topic well will fetch you good marks, undoubtedly.