Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed opened at Visakhapatnam
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IITM Pune, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, opened the open-field observatory of the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, on 1 May 2026. Under Mission Mausam, it will study monsoon convection and rain physics on the east coast to improve weather models and early warnings for cyclones.
- Facility
- Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART)
- Where
- Andhra University campus, Visakhapatnam (east coast)
- Built by
- IITM, an autonomous institute under MoES
- Opened
- 1 May 2026
- Mission
- Mission Mausam (MoES)
- Role
- National user facility for research observations
The Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed: what happened?
Cyclones and heavy rain hit India’s east coast often. Better forecasts need better data on how clouds and rain form near the coast. C-ART collects that data.
- Instruments now: impact disdrometer, 2D video disdrometer, 3D-printed automatic weather station (3D-PAWS), conventional AWS, eddy covariance tower.
- They record drop size, rain microphysics, turbulence fluxes and wind.
- Future: scanning wind lidar, polarimetric cloud and precipitation Doppler radars, phased array radars, a mass spectrometer.
- A weather balloon launch marked the first observations.
What is a disdrometer?
- An instrument that measures the size and shape of raindrops. It helps scientists understand rain microphysics.
Why does the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed matter?
- Disaster management: Better cyclone and extreme-weather warnings.
- Science: Data to improve numerical weather prediction models.
What can Prelims ask on the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed?
- C-ART: IITM + Andhra University, Visakhapatnam; under Mission Mausam.
- IITM is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB (2026-05-01): IITM set up an open-field Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.
- Better coastal forecasts mean earlier cyclone warnings.
Quotable data pointIITM set up an open-field Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.
PIB: MoES: C-ART, 1 May 2026
Exam angle
Prelims: MoES institutes.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
The Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART) opened in 2026 is located at
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB (MoES), 1 May 2026: at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam.
Questions students ask about this
What is C-ART?
The Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed set up by IITM at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, to study coastal weather.
Under which mission was C-ART set up?
Mission Mausam of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
How will C-ART help?
It will improve weather model physics and forecasts, and so early warnings for cyclones and extreme weather.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB: MoES: C-ART, 1 May 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending