Scientists begin aerosol sample collection

Kathmandu, July 31

A team of German scientists has begun research of aerosol measurement in Nepal’s atmosphere from a special research plane, which landed in Nepal on July 20.

The plane is equipped with advanced sensors that receive climatic date and details of aerosol presence up to a height of 60,000 feet.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the special research plane made its first flight last week from Tribhuvan International Airport of Kathmandu to Dhaka and back to Kathmandu from Dhaka.

“The plane’s first flight was from Kathmandu to Dhaka. It returned from Dhaka within four hours to collect samples of aerosol last week.” Director General at the Department Rishiram Sharma told The Himalayan Times, “The plane will fly through the 10 flight lines inside Nepal and there is no limitation to the number of flights.”

He said as per the permission of Nepal Government, the team will conduct research by collecting samples of aerosol, monsoon trends and climate change, among other things with the plane following the appropriate weather condition of Nepal.

After arriving in Nepal, the German scientists met teams from the DHM, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Population and Environment and explained that despite the bad weather and rainy season the team had fixed the time as it had a mission of study aerosol and monsoon criteria of Nepal’s Himalayan region.

The team had presented its plan to fly up to 60,000 feet through the North-South and East-West route across the country. The Russian manufactured aerosol special plane has just one seat for the scientist to fly.

The team has a plan to study the quantity of aerosol in the atmosphere with respect to air quality and monsoon criteria within three months in Nepal, Bangladesh and India’s Himalayan region.

DHM said it wanted the report shared after completion of the study. This might take maximum six months.

For the study of Nepal, India and Bangladesh, the plane will take off from Kathmandu, Madras and Dhaka respectively in the three months. The plane will be under the surveillance of DHM, Nepali Army and the Ministry of Population and Environment. The plane is equipped with most advanced sensors and measuring equipment that can collect data from a height of 60,000 feet.

The Ministry of Population and Environment’s joint secretary Ram Prasad Lamsal said the ministry is concerned about sharing data picked by the special plane.