Construction and Quality of Best Tracks Parameters for Study of Climate Change Impact on Tropical Cyclones over the North Indian Ocean during Satellite Era - Monitoring and Prediction of Tropical Cyclones in the Indian Ocean and Climate Change - page 4

Satellite Program (DMSP) and 7 December, 1966 marked the launch of the
first Applications Technology Satellite (ATS)-1. The TIROS operational satellite
provided nearly complete global coverage daily since 1966. The synchronous
meteorological satellite (SMS)-I was launched by USA on 17 May, 1974 and
SMS-II on 6 February, 1975. The Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellite (GOES)-1, initially designated as SMS-C was launched on 16 October,
1975.

2.2 IMD's Use of Weather Satellites for CD Monitoring

With the onset of satellite era in 1960, the detection of CDs with the polar
orbiting satellites became more accurate and no system with a life span of
more than 12 hrs could be missed. IMD's use of weather satellite commenced
since the launching of TIROS-I on 1 April, 1960 (Koteswaram, 1971). While
real time reception of satellite imagery commenced in December 1963 through
an automatic picture transmission (APT) station at Mumbai, donated by USA,
the imageries of past TCs during 1960-1963 collected from USA were
investigated by several researchers. Koteswaram (1961) analysed first satellite
pictures of a TC over the Arabian Sea in 1960. The intensity could be better
estimated not only with satellites, but also with enhanced coastal observatory
network due to augmentation in 1940s and 1950s. With the introduction of
geostationary satellites for weather monitoring, the satellite products could be
received more frequently leading to more accurate and frequent estimation of
location and intensity of CDs since 1974. It led to relatively less smooth track
and more accurate life period of the CDs. With the launch of INSAT in 1982,
IMD made use of more frequently available satellite products over Indian region
from these satellites. The details of Indian satellite used for cyclone monitoring
since 1983 are shown in Table 2. The first and second series of INSAT had
only two channels: IR channel (10.5-12.5 micrometre) and Visible channel
(0.55-0.75 micrometre). INSAT II-C and II-D are only for communication
purpose. Currently available meteorological satellites of special relevance to
CD analysis over NIO include DMSP, INSAT, Kalpana, NOAA, METEOSAT,
SSMI/S and TRMM.

Table 2 (a): Details of Indian satellite used for TC monitoring

INSAT 1A 1B 1C 1D II-A II-B II-E

Sub-Satellite 74°E 74°E 93.5°E 83°E 74°E 93.5°E 83°E

Point (SSP)
Date of launch

10-4-82 30-8-83 21-7-88 12-6-90 10-7-92 23-7-93 03-04-99

Date of 6-9-82 15-10-83 Lost 17-7-90 Aug 92 Aug 93 1999

operation (22-11-89)

Period of - 10 yrs - 12 yrs 07 yrs 07 yrs 07 yrs

service