Bobble

Project Bobble is jointly commissioned by India and UK and seeks to assess the resultant impact of oceanic processes on the monsoon system in the region around the Bay of Bengal. A dedicated team is leading the Bobble experiment from the Indian Institute of Science, based in Bengaluru, and a UK-based university in East Anglia. Short for the Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment, Bobble is expected to play a fundamental role in aiding the weather systems, which are a prominent part of the South Asian summer monsoon system.

Highlights of Bobble

To carry out the purpose of the experiment, the campaign is being carried out to collect observational and analysis-based data using several hierarchical modelling systems. The study conducted here will help gain a wider understanding of the surface processes involved in monsoons. Thus, the blueprint of Bobble will help make accurate predictions of various tropical cyclones, monsoons, and several other forecasts related to the weather.

Currently, the project is being jointly funded by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences in India and the Natural Environment Research Council in the UK.

Context of Bobble

In geographical terms, monsoons can be defined as seasonal winds which tend to turn their direction with changes in the season. Technically, monsoons are a double system of seasonal winds and tend to flow from the sea to the land during the summer season and the opposite way during winters. As a seasonal change that is typical to the Indian subcontinent and a few other continents, it makes sense to study their pattern. Several key processes occur in the southern region of the Bay of Bengal that merit undertaking projects like Bobble.

Need For Bobble

The typical geographical location of the Bay of Bengal makes it a fundamental trigger for several types of weather systems, which are responsible for the onset of the South Asian summer monsoon system. In this context, the southern Bay of Bengal has a considerably cooler sea surface temperature. This difference in temperature influences the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere and ultimately flags the monsoon. Further, the South-Western Bay of Bengal region is even cooler than the South-Eastern Bay of Bengal and much more saline. It receives lesser rainfall in comparison and is influenced by the summer monsoon current.

Thus, the purpose of undertaking Bobble emerges from these unique elements of the monsoon in the region.

Deployment of Bobble

To carry out the objectives of Bobble, a fleet of two ships, eight floats, and six ocean gliders will be deployed. The infrastructure will collect vital observations about the air and sea flux and the ocean. They will be placed in the south-western and south-eastern Bay regions while also monitoring the pathways lying between the East-Western and North-Southern points at the location, collecting information about the salinity of the water, currents, and temperatures of the water.

RV Sindhu Sadhana

The oceanic properties of this region in the Bay of Bengal are being studied from onboard the RV Sindhu Sadhana, which is deployed in the Southern region of the Bay of Bengal. The RV Sindhu Sadhana is a multi-disciplinary research vessel used to study the oceans. The NIO acquired it in the year 2012. Among its many capabilities is the ability to scale observations in the basins of the ocean and assist researchers in studying the sea areas together while employing related equipment and acquiring relevant data. A similar research vessel in the acquisition of the NIO is the ‘Sindhu Sankalp.’

The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) was founded in 1966. The independent research organization undertakes scientific research and various studies to observe the unique oceanographic features of the Indian oceans. The NIO holds its headquarters in Goa, but it also has several regional centres across Kochi, Mumbai, and Vizag.

Several key processes occur in the Southern Bay of Bengal, making Bobble a meritorious program. Among the many findings that the experiment has revealed are barrier layer formation, presence of chlorophyll, seasonal reversals, and high salinity core. The program has been able to identify several such instances in the ocean.

FAQs on Bobble

Q.1. What is a bobble AI keyboard?

The latest and finest keyboard application to make your regional conversations more interesting and fun with its custom bobblehead stickers and the coolest Indian funny gif that you would find online.

Q.2. Is bobble keyboard a Chinese app?

Indian keyboard app, Bobble Keyboard, launched in 150 countries on Android and iOS.

Q.3. Is the Bobble project singularly led by India?

No, Bobble is a joint project led by India and UK.

Q.4. What is the significance of the Bobble experiment?

Bobble aims to study the Indian monsoon, which is the lifeline of the Indian economy. A large section of Indian farms is dependent on monsoons as a source of irrigation.