Perspectives of Antarctic weather monitoring and research efforts

Polar Regions are characterized by extreme weather and climate. The polar meteorology plays a significant role in global climate system. Further, the global warming has generated renewed interest in the study of Polar Regions as the changes in polar and sea-ice extent have widespread implication on atmospheric circulation. India initiated first multi-disciplinary scientific expedition to Antarctica in 1981. The meteorological data are being collected from the very first Indian expedition to Antarctica. The present paper reviews the progress of India's scientific research in polar meteorology. The analysis of 25 years meteorological data collected at Maitri station for the period 1991-2015 is presented in the paper. The observed trend in the temperature data of 19 Antarctic stations obtained from READER project for the period 1991-2015 has also been examined. The 25 years long term temperature record shows cooling over Maitri station. The Maitri station showed cooling of 0.054 degrees C per year between 1991 and 2015, with similar pronounced seasonal trends. The nearby Russian station Novolazarevskaya also showed a cooling trend of 0.032 degrees C per year. The trend analysis of other meteorological parameters for the period 1991-2015 is also presented. The Antarctic Peninsula and almost all of West Antarctica showed warming during 1991-2015. The majority of stations in East Antarctica close to the coast show cooling or no significant trend. The analysis also found slight decreasing trend in the pressure over the 1991-2015 time period which is not statistically significant. The wind speed, however, does show a significant declining trend of 0.14 knots/year over the same period.