Pathfinder project

THE Centre has just cleared an international study called Indoex to look intothe role of atmospheric aerosols (microscopic particles suspended in the atmos-phere) of Indian origin that may becausing global climatic changes. Afterthe Rio Earth Summit of 1992, thiseffort on India's part is doscribed as anattempt to investigate the phenomenonof greenhouse effect and global warming, involving the world's finest scientificinstitutions and experts.

Apart from scientists from the us,France, Germany and The Netherlands,Indoex will also involve major Indianinstitutions like the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, departmentof science, department of technology,department of electronics and the IndianSpace Research Organisation and itsallied institutions. The Indian operations are being headed by A P Mitra,senior Homi Bhaba Fellow and honorary scientist of eminence, NationalPhysics Laboratory. Mitra says that thevery definition of what constitutes globalclimatic change may be totally reversedafter the project's completion.

The main work will start from 1999winter. Apart from land operations andresearch and experimental ocean cruises,India's INSAT system data will be usedextensively in this project.