Natural dust emission from an arid or semi-arid region occurs when near-surface wind speed exceeds a threshold wind speed which can further be modulated by several factors such as surface roughness, soil texture, soil moisture, vegetation cover etc. Many major dust sources are located in the subtropical dry belt primarily due to the subtropical high pressure system attributed to the Continue Reading »

Uttarakhand experienced a noticeable escalation in forest fire activity during the first four months of 2026. Fire occurrence remained relatively moderate in January, with 200 MODIS active-fire detections recorded across the state. Activity then declined to 113 detections in February, representing a 43.5% decrease, likely due to the influence of residual winter moisture and comparatively lower fuel flammability. As temperatures Continue Reading »

Gravitational waves are tiny ripples in spacetime produced when massive objects accelerate, especially during some of the most energetic events in the universe. But what does it truly mean for spacetime itself to “ripple”? How can something so abstract produce measurable physical effects? The concept originates from Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity (1916), which describes gravity not as a Continue Reading »

Rock glaciers in cold-arid part of northwestern Himalaya appear to be more directly and extensively a part of human settlement and land use than glaciers and have a greater and more immediate impact on livelihood. In the cold semi-arid part of Himalaya, most of the civilization has developed in the peri and paraglacial environment and thus permafrost and rock glaciers Continue Reading »

The Ramganga Dam Reservoir and Tehri Dam Reservoir are two important water storage systems in Uttarakhand that support hydropower generation, irrigation, flood control, and drinking water supply. Monitoring these reservoirs using SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite data helps in understanding their hydrological behaviour, seasonal storage variability, and response to climatic conditions. The reservoirs were selected because they represent Continue Reading »