L. A. Ramdas
Encyclopedia
L. A. Ramdas was an India
n physicist and meteorologist, known for discovering the atmospheric phenomenon of the Ramdas layer or Lifted Temperature Minimum where the lowest temperature in the atmosphere is not on the ground but a few tens of centimeters above the ground.
During this period, he started a project on "Weather in relation to crops" which was to become the "Agri Met" division of the IMD, among the earliest groups in the world to have such a specialization. As part of this work, he started lookiong at climate phenomena near the ground.
Ramdas was a Fellow (since 1935) of the National Institute of Sciences of India (which became Indian National Science Academy
in 1970).
He also served as President of the Physics Section of the Indian Science Congress
.
He was also a recipient of the Padma Shri Award. He received the title of the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1945.
L.A. Ramdas died on January 1, 1979.
Ramdas however, conducted such measurements at a number of points closer to the ground. Observations conducted at Pune
, Agra
, Madras and Bhadrachalam
all indicated that on clear windless nights, the minimum temperature is not on the ground but is lifted by a distance between 20 to 50 cm.
The phenomenon was first reported in a 1932 paper by Ramdas and S. Atmanathan in the journal Beiträge zur Geophysik. Initially, these observations were doubted but they have been replicated widely in subsequent decades by others. The phenomenon has been named the Ramdas Layer, and is attributed to the interaction of thermal radiation
effects on atmospheric aerosols and convection
transfer close to the ground.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n physicist and meteorologist, known for discovering the atmospheric phenomenon of the Ramdas layer or Lifted Temperature Minimum where the lowest temperature in the atmosphere is not on the ground but a few tens of centimeters above the ground.
Life
Ramdas was trained in physics and was a student of C. V. Raman, and worked for many years in the Indian Meteorological Department. By 1931, he was working on agricultural meteorology at the Met observatory at Pune.During this period, he started a project on "Weather in relation to crops" which was to become the "Agri Met" division of the IMD, among the earliest groups in the world to have such a specialization. As part of this work, he started lookiong at climate phenomena near the ground.
Ramdas was a Fellow (since 1935) of the National Institute of Sciences of India (which became Indian National Science Academy
Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy , New Delhi is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science & technology.-History:...
in 1970).
He also served as President of the Physics Section of the Indian Science Congress
Indian Science Congress Association
Indian Science Congress Association is a premier scientific organisation of India,started in the year 1914, with Headquarters at Kolkata.. It meets annually in the first week of January every year.-Introduction:...
.
He was also a recipient of the Padma Shri Award. He received the title of the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1945.
L.A. Ramdas died on January 1, 1979.
Discovery of Lifted Minimum Temperature
At the time, it was believed that the temperature at night is lowest at the ground and increases with altitude. These were based on meteorological observations that started taking temperature measurements of the atmosphere starting at a height (called the screen height) of 1.2m from the ground.Ramdas however, conducted such measurements at a number of points closer to the ground. Observations conducted at Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, Madras and Bhadrachalam
Bhadrachalam
Bhadrachalam , a town known for the Sri Rama Temple constructed in the year 1674 A.D., is a Municipality in Khammam district, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located east of state capital, Hyderabad. The Bhadrachalam Temple, where the presiding deity is Lord Rama, is an important site...
all indicated that on clear windless nights, the minimum temperature is not on the ground but is lifted by a distance between 20 to 50 cm.
The phenomenon was first reported in a 1932 paper by Ramdas and S. Atmanathan in the journal Beiträge zur Geophysik. Initially, these observations were doubted but they have been replicated widely in subsequent decades by others. The phenomenon has been named the Ramdas Layer, and is attributed to the interaction of thermal radiation
Thermal radiation
Thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation generated by the thermal motion of charged particles in matter. All matter with a temperature greater than absolute zero emits thermal radiation....
effects on atmospheric aerosols and convection
Convection
Convection is the movement of molecules within fluids and rheids. It cannot take place in solids, since neither bulk current flows nor significant diffusion can take place in solids....
transfer close to the ground.