An ongoing study by the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) to predict fog conditions at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and to minimise air traffic congestion during the winter months has yielded favourable results.
The JNCASR team, which is conducting this study on atmospheric conditions in the vicinity of the airport, has been able to attain a success rate between 65% and 69%.
Prof. K.R. Sreenivas, who is heading the study, said that his team of scientists have been able to identify certain indicators which causes fog and are able to predict whether there would be fog in the vicinity of the airport.
“We have identified certain indicators. As of now we are getting a success rate of around 65% to 69% on predicting if fog would occur or not in the airport’s vicinity,” Mr. Sreenivas said.
Higher target
However, the team of scientists are not satisfied with the current success rate for fog prediction and are working on achieving a higher target. “The current success rate is not good in our view. We hope we will be able to push it to 75 % or so,“ he said.
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In 2019, the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) which operates KIA had signed an agreement with JNCASR to conduct a four-year study. The aim of the study was to develop a Numerical Simulation Tool which will be capable of predicting the onset of fog over the airport’s vicinity.
Pandemic-caused delay
Mr. Sreenivas said that the pandemic has affected and delayed in conducting experiments.
“The two main equipment required for the study were imported from Europe and by the time they arrived we had the Covid-19 outbreak. We missed out in the 2020 winter season due to pandemic and flight cancellations. We currently have data for fog season (2021) and need to conduct more experiments in the upcoming winter season,” Sreenivas said.
Upon completion of the study the team plans to give information to the airport, airlines and other stakeholders at around 10 p.m. every day on the possibility of fog occurrence.
Early alert
“What we have observed from our experiments so far is that fog usually starts to occur during the early hours of the day. If we are able to give information at around 10 pm, the airlines and others involved can take a call beforehand whether to depart from their respective airports or not and avoid circling the Bengaluru airspace,“ he added.
While signing the agreement, BIAL had said that once the Numerical Simulation Tool is developed, the airport will be able to receive visibility information well in advance. “The prediction mechanism will hugely benefit airline operators, who incur additional financial losses owing to diversions and lengthy delays,“ it had said.
