India's Ocean Observation Network: Relevance to Society

Sustained and real-time ocean observation systems using moored data buoys are vital for understanding ocean dynamics and the variability required for improving oceanographic services, including weather prediction, ocean state forecast, and climate change studies. This paper presents the effectiveness of India's moored data buoy network in capturing the response in the ocean during the cyclonic disturbances formed in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS) during the last 5-year period. The moored buoy network provided critical information about the evolution and intensification of low-pressure systems and supported the India Meteorological Department to improve prediction capabilities by incorporating real-time data. The lowest mean sea-level pressure of 920 hPa was recorded in the BoB during the very severe cyclonic storm Phailin. The warning systems adopted for the effective dissemination of the ocean forecast services to the user community have significantly reduced the loss of life and property in coastal states.