- Name : Prof. P. Rama Rao
- Designation :Honorary Director, Center for Studies on Bay of Bengal
- Phone : 0891-2844156
0891-2844157 0891-2796634 - Email : directorbayofbengal@gmail.com
The Concept
The Andhra University, having realized the importance of natural resources of the coastal, near and off shore environments, climatic conditions, marine food and agricultural products, aqua culture and placers of the Bay of Bengal region, has established an advanced research center exclusively to study the Bay of Bengal and its environs. The Center as per the resolutions of the EC of Andhra University was initiated in June 2004 in the erstwhile glass technology laboratory building
Year of Establishment :June 2004
Affiliation :AU College of Science & Technology, Andhra University
Thrust Areas of Research
- Potential Fishing Zone studies and dissemination using satellite remote sensing
- Ocean state forecast and dissemination
- Integrated Process response characteristics of coastal regions.
- Ocean colour retrieval from satellite observations
- Modelling of Coastal Ecosystems
- Application of Geospatial technologies in the management of wetland ecosystems.
- Mineral and Chemical finger printing of beach placers
- Algal blooms of east coast of India
- Air-sea fluxes of CO2 vis-à-vis impact of physical and biogeochemical processes.
- Development of Village information system for nation development and resources management
- Capacity building in ocean and nearshore studies, natural resource management, Geospatial technologies, CO2 fluxes, Remote sensing applications in resource and process management.
- Documentation in terms of Hand Books, Reference Manuals, etc.
LIST OF RESEARCH PROJECTS
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Center with a focus on a multi disciplinary approach defines its mission statement as follows:
- Evaluation of living and non-living natural resources of the coastal and near shore regions of Bay of Bengal and assess their sustainable levels.
- To understand the local and remote processes of the coastal regions and oceans.
- To understand, characterize and predict the extreme events, like storm surges, tidal waves, cyclones, tsunamis etc.
- To utilize the scientific acknowledge for the socio-economic benefits of the coastal population and its development.
- To foster the concept of indigenous technology, in instrumentation, data collection, analysis and interpretation.
- To promote the popularization of science and its role in development and economy and awareness on mitigation and preparedness to handle the extreme events among the coastal population, public and government officials.
Activities
- Collaborative Research (Through Interdisciplinary & Multi departmental/ Institutional)
- Design and Development of contemporary areas of research programmes (Through Brain storming sessions, workshops/ training programmes)
- Capacity building
- Research fellows training
- Semi skilled worker training
- Development of sate of the art analytical facilities in - Novel and Innovative Programmes in the concept of "Earn while you learn" for the benefit of students.
- Publication of Books and Manuals
Science to Society and Community Development programmes
The Center carries out a number of outreach programmes as well as scientific support programmes to support the communities. One such programme being potential fishing zone mapping and dissemination, which is mainly indented for the fisherman community. Further a programme of Ocean state Forecast provides continuous advisories for the benefit of shipping ,industry, ports and ocean going communities including fisherman.
National Facility on ICP-MS and National oceanography equipment repository:
This Center houses major analytical equipment like ICP-Ms and the facilities are extended at very marginal costs to academic and research community. Many institutions and individual researchers located in more than 28 institutions located in many parts of the country have been utilising this facility.
Further a large inventory of oceanographic equipment mostly supported by INCOIS is also being provided to academic and research intuitions from the Center.
Infrastructure & Equipment
- Wet lab for chemical analyses
- Analytical equipment lab
- Wave Rider Buoy Real time Ocean Observation system
- Permanent GPS station as part of National GPS Network
- ICP-MS Laboratory
- High Pressure Liquid Chromotography (HPLC)
- Auto Titrator
- Physical Oceanography Equipment- ADCP, Current Meters
- Spectral Photometer
- Photogrammetric and Remote Sensing data Analyses Lab
- Biological and Petrological Microscopes
- Water and Soil Analyses Laboratory
Participating Academic departments
- Dept. of Geophysics
- Dept. of Geology
- School of Chemistry
- Dept. of Civil Engineering
- Dept. of Geography
- Dept. of Environmental Sciences
- Dept. of Meteorology and Oceanography
- Dept. of Geoengineering
- Dept. of Zoology
Major collaborating Institutions under MoU
- NGRI
- INCOIS
- NRSC
- SAC
AU-INCOIS POGO-ITEC ocean training at Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies, Andhra university
Major Collaborative programmes
- A multi disciplinary multi-institutional collaborative programme on the restoration Kolleru lake ecology using Geospatial technologies concluded recently has culminated in the development of many practical and strategic solutions to the preservation of wetland ecosystems and stake holder's interests
- Part of National GPS network and Lighting Detection Programmes
- A National Net work programme on the development of Village Information System
- A National Network programme on the development and dissemination of Potential ones and Ocean State Forecast
- A National programme on the generation of long-term ocean colour Geophysical products
