India
established a research station at Arctic named “Himadri” at Ny-Alesund
in Svalbard region of Norway during the second Indian
Arctic expedition which was inaugurated by the then Hon’ble
Minister of Earth Sciences on 1st July, 2008 and is in operation
since then.
Geologically, Svalbard is unique place where a
complete geological column extending from Pre-cambrian
is exposed. The close proximity of glaciers, mountains, streams and fjords (a
long narrow inlet with steep sides, created in a valley carved by glacial
activity, common in Norway) present contrasting
environment for research. The
following salient studies have been undertaken/ initiated:
Atmospheric Sciences
i.
Study of polar ionosphere;
ii.
Measurement of atmospheric electrical parameters to
understand global electric circuit;
iii.
Snow pack production of carbon monoxide and its diurnal
variability;
iv.
Scientific studies of the total solar eclipse over the Arctic
on the 1st August 2008;
v.
Earth Sciences / Palaeoclimate
i.
Sedimentology and
geomorphology of the Ny-Alesund region and its
implication on palaeoclimatic reconstruction;
ii.
Changes in the quantity and quality of carbon pools in
permafrost of Ny-Alesund;
iii.
Carbon cycling in the nearshore
acquatic environments;
iv.
Multiproxy palaeoclimatic studies on quaternary deposits at Ny-Alesund;
v.
Palaeoclimatic assessment of Arctic
ocean using diatom variability;
vi.
Glaciology/Geology
Parameterisation
of glaciers in northern hemisphere to variations of climate inter annual
and intra annual;
Biological
Studies
i.
Diversity of heterotrophic bacteria in Arctic water and
sediment ;
ii.
Genetic diversity of Marine Vibrios
and other organisms isolated from Arctic realms;
iii.
Diversity of Arctic cyanobacteria.
An
expenditure of Rs. 1.25 crore
was incurred in setting up the base at Ny-Alesund,
Norway in Arctic.
This was stated by Shri Prithviraj
Chavan, Minister of State (I/C) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in
the Lok Sabha today.
GG/BS