The Ponmudi Campus of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is a satellite campus located on the hilltop of Ponmudi in the Western Ghats. It houses the Ponmudi Climate Observatory (PCO), a facility equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for studying aerosol and cloud microphysics. The high-altitude location of the PCO provides a natural laboratory for research on aerosol-cloud processes.
Campus Map
This campus of IIST is located at Ponmudi Hills, about 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram city and 35 km from IIST main campus. This campus is spread over an area of 20 Acres, split into two plots.
Ponmudi Climate Observatory
The IIST Ponmudi Climate Observatory (IIST-PCO) situated on the Ponmudi hilltop of the Western Ghats (PCO, 8.76°N, 77.12°E, 1.0 km AMSL) in India, is equipped with state-of-the-art field instrumentation for studying aerosol and cloud microphysics. The high-altitude siting of the IIST-PCO on the windward side of the western ghats during the summer monsoon season and often within or beneath the cloud layer, offers a natural laboratory for an improved understanding of aerosol-cloud processes in the atmosphere and their accurate representation in climate models using ground-based measurements.Furthermore, in-house design and development of instrumentation for aerosol studies is a stronghold of IIST-PCO. The observatory is one of its kind in the country, with provisions for balloon-borne experiments in the frontiers of atmospheric science, astrobiology, and space technology development.
Research activities
The Ponmudi Climate Observatory is developed to provide quality-assured aerosol and cloud measurements for their accurate representation in climate models. Our primary research areas encompass:Monitoring and characterization of atmospheric aerosols.Source apportionment of aerosolsModel development for assessing aerosol mixing stateAerosol's mixing state and its impact on aerosol-cloud interactionImpact on the boundary layer processes by aerosolsRole of elevated aerosol layers on radiation budgetAerosol-cloud interaction
Research facilities
Aerosol instrumentationIn-house designed common aerosol sampling inlet system with flow rate up to 38 LPM6-stage high volume sampler16-channel Optical Particle Sizer (OPS)Condensation particle counter7-channel Aethalometer3-channel Polar Integrating NephelometerLIDAR ceilometer with polarization capabilitySun photometer
Facilities
Cloud microphysics
Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) CounterMicro Rain Radar (MRR)DisdrometerAll sky imager
Meteorological instrumentation
Surface radiation monitoring stationAutomatic weather station
Trace gas measurements
Open Path CO2/H2O Gas AnalyzerClosed Path CO2 ProbeCO Analyzer
Balloon launch facility
Rubber balloon of size 1200-3000 gm with payload carrying capacity of 6 kg up to an altitude of 35 kmTethered balloons of volume 9 m² capable of carrying 3 kg payload weight up to an altitude of about1 km.
How to Reach
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology is located in Valiamala, Thiruvananthapuram on the way to the famous Ponmudi Hills. IIST campus is adjacent to the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) of ISRO.
Nearest Railway StationThiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station – about 60 km.Nearest AirportThiruvananthapuram International Airport – about 65 km.Nearest TownVithura – about 20 km (base town before Ponmudi hill station).Nearest Bus StopPonmudi Bus Stand (Hill Top) – about 2 km from the observator.
Contact UsIndian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)Valiamala P.O, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 547 Kerala, IndiaPublic Relations Officer+91 (471) 2568453+91 (471) 2568462pro[at]iist.ac.in