NEWS – Post-July 2024 floods and landslides in Wayanad, Kerala, an X-band radar installation was approved by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences to improve disaster warnings.

HIGHLIGHTS

How Do Radars Work?

• Radar Basics: Uses radio waves to measure distance, velocity, and object characteristics.
• Doppler Radar: Tracks cloud movement and intensity through the Doppler effect, helping monitor weather conditions.
• Pulse-Doppler Radar: Measures rainfall intensity by emitting pulses and analyzing reflections.

What is an X-band Radar?

• Definition: Operates in the 8-12 GHz range, with 2-4 cm wavelengths.
• Usage: Provides high-resolution images but with shorter range, effective for monitoring smaller particles like soil for landslide warnings.

Why Does Wayanad Need an X-band Radar?

• Purpose: To monitor particle movements, helping in early landslide detection and warnings.
• Advantage: Capable of rapid sampling for short-time interval observations.

India’s Radar Infrastructure

• History: IMD started using radars in the 1950s, with the first X-band radar installed in 1970.
• Current Status: India has a network of X-band, S-band, and dual-capability radars for storm and wind detection.
• Recent Developments: 56 new Doppler radars to be installed by 2026 under ‘Mission Mausam’ with a ₹2,000-crore budget.

Upcoming Radar Initiatives

• X-band in Wayanad, C-band radar with 250 km range in Mangaluru.
• Northeast and Himachal Pradesh: Procurement of 10 X-band radars for better forecasting.

NISAR Project

• Joint NASA-ISRO satellite project (launch in 2025), combining L-band and S-band radars to map Earth’s landmasses and track natural processes.