Navy assists climate study

A scientific study on north-easterly monsoonal climate changes and coastal hazards by a team of Sri Lankan scientists from Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) in collaboration with World Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the USA was facilitated by the Sri Lanka Navy recently.

The Navy assisting scientists to collect sea-bed sampling.

The study involved collection of sea-bed sampling using a vibro-core to trap samples of sediments at the bottom of the sea up to 100m water depth in the Eastern seas and survey and drilling in lagoons and estuaries from South-East to North East of the island.

This study is the first such scientific study involving the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute of the US, in which the Naval vessels and expertise facilitated the scientists to collect field data for analysis.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute supplied the equipment and semi-funded the study with the GSMB.

The Navy provided SLNS Samudura (ex United State Coast Guard Cutter Courageous), P 464 (an Israel built Fast Attack Craft) and a couple of locally built inshore patrol craft for access areas of interests to collect sample.

The analysis of the data will reveal the effect of NE monsoons over the sedimentation, its wind patterns and changes in relation to the vegetation and the frequency of tsunami effects in the eastern coast.