Geospatial Tools for Environment, natural resources monitoring and Urban Modelling
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Pyroxene chemistry and crystallization history of basaltic units in the Mare Humorum on the nearside of the Moon: Implications for the volcanic history of the region
We investigated the mineralogy and chemical variations of the mare basaltic units in the Mare Humorum on the Moon’s nearside using orbital remote sensing data. Basalts of Imbrian-Eratosthenian periods occur in the Mare Humorum. Hyperspectral data from Moon Mineralogy Mapper onboard Chandrayaan-1 mission showed pigeonites and augites as the major compositions in these basaltic units. The compositional trend between pigeonites and augites point towards the differentiation of the basaltic magma while cooling.
Evidence for Late-Imbrian and Eratosthenian Mare Volcanism from the Grimaldi Basin on the nearside of the Moon: Implications for Lunar Mantle Heterogeneity and Thermal Evolution
Mare basalts on the Moon are believed to have been formed by remelting of the lunar interior after the initial differentiation episode through serial magmatism. Our study investigated the spectral and chemical characteristics and ages of the nearside mare basaltic units from the Grimaldi basin, namely Mare Grimaldi and Mare Riccioli, using orbital remote sensing data. Distinct and younger basaltic units of higher FeO, TiO2, and olivine abundances are characteristics of the Mare Grimaldi and Mare Riccioli.
Dr. B. N. Suresh
Dr. Byrana Nagappa Suresh assumed charge as Chancellor, IIST on 6th November 2017. Dr. B N Suresh, an aerospace scientist. served as the founder Director of IIST. He was the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram during the period 2003-2007. He is known for his contribution to Space Capsule Recovery Experiments (SRE). He retired from IIST in November 2010. Presently he is serving as Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Professor at ISRO Headquarters since November 2010. He was also distinguished Professor at IIT, Mumbai and MIT, Manipal.
On the Predictability and Dynamics of Tropical Cyclone: Nargis
The unusual eastward recurvature followed by the weakening and rapid intensification of tropical cyclone Nargis is explained using the high resolution ensemble forecasts generated from Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) data assimilation system
Caption: The figure shows the equivalent potential temperature in color shadings and the horizontal wind vectors in (a). Ensemble forecast track from baseline ensemble simulation and modified horizontal temperature ensemble simulation is depicted in blue and red color, respectively in (b)
Distinct Size Distribution of Black carbon (BC) aerosol particles in Snow and Rain in the Arctic
Seasonally averaged size distributions of BC in snow and rain were very similar, and they showed little seasonal variation, except in fall. This result suggests that the BC size distribution in ambient air was also stable.
Caption:Seasonally averaged mass size distributions of BC in snow and rain water samples collected from Barrow in Northern Alaska, Arctic during 2013–2017
Compositional and Spectrochemical Analyses of Cr-spinels in the Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex, Southern India: Implications for Remote Observation of Spinels on the Moon
We employed various spectroscopic techniques (hyperspectral, Laser Raman, and Fourier-Transform Infra-Red) combined with X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) to understand the spectral-compositional relationships of the Cr-spinel (Chromian spinel) present in chromitite bodies associated with Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex (SAC), southern India. The bands/lenses of Cr-spinel are found as layers (few centimeters to 6 meters thick) intercalated with anorthosites and clinopyroxenites of the SAC. Cr-spinels of the SAC exhibit a Fe-, Al-rich composition.
Spectral and chemical characterization of Copiapite and Rozenite from Padinjarathara in Wayanad, southern India: Possible implications for Mars Exploration
Copiapite (Fe2+Fe3+4(SO4)6(OH)2·20 H2O) and rozenite (Fe2+(SO4)· 4H2O) are secondary hydrous sulfate minerals, mostly formed because of oxygenation and weathering events of primary sulfides on Earth. These secondary sulfate minerals are significant in defining past geological environments on Earth and other rocky planets such as Mars. We discuss here the results of chemical and spectral analyses of copiapite and rozenite found in massive sulfide zones associated with banded iron formations (BIFs) in the Wayanad region in Kerala, southern India.
Modeling radio spectra of protostellar jets
Protostellar jets serve as the principal signature of ongoing star formation activity. Observations have revealed that the radio emission from protostellar jets arise from a combination of thermal free-free and non-thermal synchrotron emission mechanisms. The observed radio spectra of protostellar jets can be explained with the help of emission models and we have developed, for the first time, a simplistic numerical model that is applicable for narrow as well as wide-angle protostellar jets, and could explain the signatures of synchrotron emission in their radio spectra.