Indian vessel sets sail on research mission

Sagar Kanya set sail yesterday to embark on the first joint oceanographic research project with scientists from India, the US and Oman, focussing mainly on the depletion of oxygen in the Arabian Sea and in particular around the Omani coast.

The research vessel of India's National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) left Port Sultan Qaboos yesterday and will cruise along Oman's coastal areas from Muscat to North of Salalah before heading back to Goa after covering roughly 1,000 nautical miles.

Six Omani researchers representing the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Marine Science and Fisheries Centre and Sultan Qaboos University are on board as part of a team of marine scientists from NIO and America's Princeton University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Massachusetts.

Dr S W A Naqvi, Scientist and head of the Chemical Oceanography at the NIO, told newsmen on board that the study would focus on the problem of oxygen deficiency in the heart of the Arabian Sea, and its impact on greenhouses gases, ozone depletion, fisheries production, and other phenomena.

"We will be studying oxygen deficiency at intermediate depths beyond 150 metres and up to 1,000 metres," he said."The Arabian Sea and its chemistry and biology are important, but the most important feature is the oxygen deficiency at an intermediate depth. It's one of the few areas in the world where below a certain depth which is about 150 metres, there is either less or no oxygen at all. If you go below 150 metres to 1,000 metres there is no oxygen at all and it affects the chemistry and the biology of the water. These are the aspects that we are studying," Dr Naqvi elaborated.

"We are focusing on nitrogen cycling, particularly because nitrogen is a very important constituent of our planet, something which controls the productivity of the ocean and also affects our climate by the production of nitrous oxide, an important greenhouse gas," he added.

Dr Naqvi hoped that this first joint project would be just the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Oman, India and the US.

He also offered to make available Indian expertise to train Omani human resources. "We would like to invite Omanis to come to India for training," he said.

Unlike other oceans, the Arabian Sea is surrounded by landmasses from three sides and is thus uniquely suited for the study, believes the Indian scientist.

Oman's coastal waters will also be an important area of focus for the scientists. Sample surveys will be conducted at eight stations along the Sultanate's south-eastern coast. The surveys will extend towards the centre of the Arabian Sea with studies planned on how chemical and biology changes occur further away from the coast.

The participating countries are expected to meet again in early 2006 to discuss their findings.