Annual Report 1999-2000

Autonomous Institutions

Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Mumbai

Objectives and functions of the Institute are:

• To establish, maintain and manage laboratories, workshops and/or other units to assist scientific research in Geomagnetism.
  
• To record, collect, scrutinise, process, publish and supply geomagnetic data.
  
• To undertake the design, development, construction calibration and standardisation of magnetic instruments.
  
• To organise training facilities and to train the staff of the Institute and other interested organisations in geomagnetic work and arrange lectures, seminars and symposia in pursuance of the academic work of the Institute and for diffusion of scientific knowledge.
  
• To invite Scientists from India and abroad who are actively engaged in research in geomagnetism, to deliver lectures and participate in the research activities of the Institute.
  
• To institute and award fellowships, scholarships, prizes and medals.
  
• To co-operate and collaborate with other National and/or foreign institutions and international organisations in the field of Geomagnetism.
  
• To publish scientific papers, bulletins and journals.
  
• To disseminate information on matters concerning geomagnetism
  

Areas of Research

IIG's research activities include studies of geomagnetic activity including Sq variations, electrojet and counter electrojet, geomagnetic and substorms, solar wind-magnetosphere ionosphere coupling, boundary layer waves, Sun-earth connection and Solar-Terrestrial relationship, space plasma physics, global electric circuit, dynamical and electrodynamical coupling between atmospheric layers, geomagnetic deep sounding (GDS) using magnetovariational (MV) and magnetotelluric (MT) and deep resistivity techniques, Earthquake precursors using electromagnetic methods, marine and paleomagnetism and crustal dynamics using global positioning system (GPS).

The salient features of the achievements during 1998-99 are given below:

• A new geomagnetic observatory was commissioned at 'Silchar' in November 1998.
  
• Nine geomagnetic observatories and the INTERMAGNET functioned uninterruptedly during this period. Geomagnetic and ionospheric absorption measurements were continued throughout the year at Antarctica.
  
• Airglow observations at Kolhapur, studies on geomagnetic pulsations, ionospheric scintillations, substorm dynamics, ionosphere-thermosphere coupling using PR radar, and numerical simulation of geotail dynamics were vigorously pursued
  
• A seminar on "Integrated Geological, Seismological and Co-seismic investigations in the Earthquake Prone Regions of the India" was organised at the Institute in December 1998. 20 Scientists from various organisations participated in the deliberations.
  
• GPS/Magnetotelluric/Magnetic surveys were undertaken in several seismically active zones of the country including Khandwa region of M.P. and Chamoli of U.P. Magnetic Petrological investigations were completed in Dharwar Craton. Ground magnetic data was collected from the Cauvery & Krishna Godavary basins.
  
• PC controlled Proton Magnetometer (PPM) and Vector Proton Magnetometer was fabricated. Modifications to Fluxgate Magnetometer design were carried out.
  
• A Geomagnetic Research Laboratory (a regional center of the Institute for Solid Earth Geomagnetism) is being set-up at Allahabad.