Objective:

To find a challenging position to meet my competencies, capabilities, skills, education and experience.

educational qualifications

AREAS OF INTEREST:

1. Large-scale ocean circulation using Remote sensing data,

2. Coastal circulation,

3. Ocean Modelling.

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Joined in National Institute of Oceanography, Goa as a Project Assistant-III on 11^th July, 2006 and continuing till date in the CSIR Network Project entitled “ Indian Ocean Ridges and Backarc basins.”

As part of the studies on large scale circulation of the north Indian ocean, near real-time oceanographic data pertaining to sea level anomalies (from Satellite altimetry), Sea Surface Temperature (from TMI/TRMM), T and S profiles (from Argo floats), sea surface winds (from Quikscat scatterometry) have been processed and analysed. The Ekman drift (wind driven component) and Geostrophic (density driven component) currents have been computed using the wind field and the sea surface slopes respectively. These data are used to investigate oceanic variability on different time scales - intraseasonal, seasonal, annual and interannual scales.

The equatorial region of the north Indian Ocean is distinct from the Equatorial Pacific and Atlantic. It experiences the semi-annaully reversing monsoon wind systems. These seasonally varying monsoon winds generate semi-annual equatorial Wyrtki Jets (April –May and October – November). Further, the equator acts as a wave-guide. To understand the variability of these equatorial jets, I have analysed the T/P, Jason-1, ERS-1/2 merged altimeter weekly sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) for the period 1997-2005. The spring jet is observed in April/May to south of the equator while the fall jet during October – November is symmetric about the equator. These jets flow eastward with a speed of 70-80 cm/s and extend over a width of 400 km. The SSHA derived surface currents are compared with the measured currents obtained from moored Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) and Recording Current Meters and model simulations. It is found that the interannual variability in the period of occurrence of these jets and their intensity is related to the El Nino and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events occurred during the study period (Somayajulu et al., 2006).

I have also studied the annual cycle of coastal circulation in the Bay of Bengal using the SSHA data during 1999-2006. The mean monthly surface circulation revealed the evolution of the poleward flowing East India Coastal Current (EICC) during February – June and the equatorward EICC during September – December. The poleward EICC is established along the east coast by May. Associated with this EICC, anticyclonic circulation gyre was developed in the western Bay. Similarly, the equatorward EICC is established along the east coast more clearly (than the poleward EICC) by November. By December, this EICC flowed into the southeastern Arabian Sea and enabled formation of the Lakshadweep High there. Associated with the equatorward EICC, a large cyclonic circulation gyre has developed in the western Bay. The inflow of the Southwest Monsoon Current (SMC) into the Bay was also identified south of Sri Lanka by September. In association with the IOD 2006, large interannual variability in the SSHA is found from 2005 to 2006, which is identified with the collapse of the equtorward EICC in December 2006. The implications of this interesting feature are being examined.

Participated in RVSONNE-2 Cruise, from 17 October -1 December, 2007 from the Physical Oceanography group and the cruise was organised in the Carlsberg Ridge in the Arabian Sea and Andaman Backarc region in the Andaman Sea. I have been actively involved in the Physical Oceanographic data collection using the Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) Probe attached with optical sensors like Light Scattering Sensor (LSS), Transmissometer and Sea Point Turbidity meter. Also used MAPRs (Miniature Autonoumous Plume Recorder) at 20 stations (in Carlsberg Ridge region and Andaman Back Arc Basin). This multi-parameter data would describe the presence of near-bottom thermal vents in the regions of Carlsberg Ridge and Andaman Sea Backarc.

SEMINARS’ PARTICIPATION

• Delivered a lecture on “Ocean Color Remote Sensing” on the occasion of celebrating the National Science day at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam on February 28, 2006.

• Attended the international conference on “ASIA PACIFIC REMOTE SENSING SYMPOSIUM” held at NIO, Goa during 13-17 November, 2006.

• Participated in National symposium on “Emerging trends in Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC-2007)’ held in Kochi, India during 21-23 May, 2007.

PAPERS

• Somayajulu, Y.K., V.S.N. Murty, C. Neelima, P.S.V. Jagadeesh ‘Interannual variability of Equatorial Jets in the Indian Ocean from the merged altimetry data’, Proceedings ‘Asia-Pacific Remote Sensing Symposium’, 13-17 November, 2006, held at NIO, Goa. Proc. SPIE; 6404, SPIE, USA, 2006, 11 pp.

• Neelima, C., Y.K. Somayajulu, V.S.N. Murty Poster Presentation on “Variability of Coastal Circulation in the Bay of Bengal during 1999-2006”. METOC-2007 Conference, 21-23 May 2007.

• Murty, V.S.N., Bulusu Subrahmanyam, S. Muralikrishna³, David M. Heffner⁴, A.S.N. Lakshmi¹, C. Neelima¹ and P. J. Vidya (2007) Seasonal and Interannual Variability of Sea Surface Salinity during 2002-06 from Argo profiles and HYCOM simulations in the tropical Indian Ocean. Communicated to Journal of Geophysical Research (Oceans).

ACHIEVEMENTS/AWARDS

1998. Awarded the National Merit Scholarship at the level of S.S.C.

2006. 1^st in M.Sc., Physical Oceanography,

Department of Meteorology and Oceanography, Andhra University, Visakhapatanam.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Languages : FORTRAN

• Operating System : LINUX, Windows XP.

• Packages : MATLAB, Ferret, MS-OFFICE 2000, ORIGIN

strength

• Hardworking and self-learning ability.

• Ability to participate in team oriented development.

• Self confidence

referees

Dr.V.S.N. Murty.

Scientist-F,

Physical Oceanography Division,

NIO, Dona Paula, Goa - 403004.

Email: vsnmurty(at)nio.org

Dr. Y.K. Somayajulu

Scientist-F

Physical Oceanography Division

National Institute Of Oceanography

Dona Paula, Goa - 403004.

Email: yksoma(at)nio.org

Dr. K.V.S.R. PRASAD, M.Sc.,Ph.D.

Professor,

Department of Meteorology and Oceanography,

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam – 530 003

Email: prasadkvsr(at)yahoo.co.in