Contrary to global evidence, a study by IIT Gandhinagar researchers has found that during daytime the urban areas are relatively cooler than the surrounding non-urban areas during heat waves. However, during night time, all urban areas are hotter than the surrounding non-urban areas. The reason being that unlike non-urban areas, the urban areas have perennial … Continue reading Urban areas in India cooler than non-urban areas during heat waves
IIT Gandhinagar
Groundwater depletion alarming in northwest, central India
While a majority of districts in India experienced significant depletion in groundwater storage, those in the Indo-Gangetic plain, northwestern, central, and western parts of India showed the most reduction due to intensive groundwater-based irrigation. Irrigation based on information provided by tensiometers helped farmers in five districts of Punjab save up to 36% groundwater. With 230 … Continue reading Groundwater depletion alarming in northwest, central India
A rare confluence of four events led to flooding in Kerala, IIT Gandhinagar researchers say
A deadly combination of four factors caused extensive flooding in Kerala in 2018. The State received 53% above normal summer monsoon rainfall from May to August. This together with a few extreme rainfall events covering almost the entire State, six of the seven major reservoirs with over 90% storage before the extreme rainfall events, and catchment areas of major reservoirs … Continue reading A rare confluence of four events led to flooding in Kerala, IIT Gandhinagar researchers say
Extreme rainfall events pose a challenge to reservoir operations
Modelling studies by IIT Ghandhinagar team has found that if high emission continues, then by the end of the century the mean annual air temperature is projected to increase up to 6.25 degree C, while rainfall in the catchments is likely to rise by 13-18%. There is a need to improve prediction skill of extreme rainfall events … Continue reading Extreme rainfall events pose a challenge to reservoir operations
Decline in low-intensity rainfall reduces groundwater recharge in north India
Research carried out by IIT Gandhinagar team has found increased groundwater recharge in south India between 1996 and 2016 due to increase in high-intensity rainfall during monsoon. But in the case of north India, the decline in low-intensity rainfall during the same period has resulted in a reduction in groundwater recharge. Based on data collected … Continue reading Decline in low-intensity rainfall reduces groundwater recharge in north India
IIT Gandhinagar team takes initial step to treat breast, prostate cancer
IIT Gandhinagar researchers have successfully produced large quantity of a biologically active protein involved in DNA damage response pathway in breast and prostate cancer cells. A handful of small molecules synthesised by them was able to achieve up to 75% inhibition of the protein thus preventing it from repairing DNA damage in cancer cells caused by radiation or … Continue reading IIT Gandhinagar team takes initial step to treat breast, prostate cancer
Two-fold increase in short spells of heavy rainfall in Indian cities
Very heavy rainfall lasting for a few hours in urban locations in India has become more intense in the last few decades. Its frequency has increased by two-fold between 1979-2015. Cities get flooded quickly following heavy downpour lasting a few hours. So it is necessary to record the amount of rainfall every 15 minutes in … Continue reading Two-fold increase in short spells of heavy rainfall in Indian cities
IIT Gandhinagar develops a system to monitor drought in South Asia
It will now be possible to monitor drought at 5-km resolution on near real-time basis. The dataset and drought indicators for south Asia have been made available from 1980 onwards. The database will be updated once every week. Now, near real-time monitoring of drought at a 5-km resolution that will help policy makers and others … Continue reading IIT Gandhinagar develops a system to monitor drought in South Asia
Air pollutants reduce India’s solar power generation by 17%
In India, particulate matter deposited on solar panels and present in the ambient air is responsible for about 17% reduction in solar power generation. This translates to about 2 GW reduction in solar power production for about 12 GW installed solar power capacity in the country. India has set an ambitious renewable energy target of 175 GW by 2022. Particulate matter … Continue reading Air pollutants reduce India’s solar power generation by 17%
IIT Gandhinagar: Changing rainfall pattern results in groundwater deficit in north India
The groundwater level in north India declined at a rate of 2 cm per year during the period 2002-2013, while in north-central and south India it increased by 1-2 cm per year during the same period, says a study carried out by a team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar. While … Continue reading IIT Gandhinagar: Changing rainfall pattern results in groundwater deficit in north India
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