From the International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE) to the Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment (ARMEX) – four decades of major advances in monsoon meteorology

Abstract

Vast amount of researches on describing understanding, modelling and prediction of monsoon have taken place in the last 50 years or so as new observational and computational technologies have been introduced.  Several field observational programs using state of the art sea-land and space-based observational systems have been undertaken nationally and internationally in the last 4 decades beginning with the IIOE (1963-1965) and culminating in the ARMEX (2002, 2003) which have given new challenges to monsoon-related research.  The paper provides salient features of the   research on the Indian monsoon accomplished during the four decades (1963-2003) using observational and modelling studies and the discusses new challenges which lie ahead for its further improved understanding and prediction.