As a precursor to the installation of the Stratosphere-Troposphere Radar (ST-Radar) for atmospheric study in the Himalayan region, the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, will organise a fortnight-long science awareness programme titled Radar Probing of the Atmosphere, to create awareness among young scientists about the science, beginning Tuesday. As many as 35 young scientists, particularly PhD and postgraduate degree holders, are going to participate in this special science awareness programme. “Besides, experts from different universities and science institutes are also going to take part in this workshop,” said Rajesh Kumar, information scientist, ARIES, while talking to The Pioneer. Lectures will be delivered by renowned experts from different universities and institutes in India. “The purpose of organising the workshop is aimed at attracting young Ph.D/M. Sc. Students from different streams of science including physics, atmospheric sciences, environmental sciences, space sciences, geophysics and B. Tech. students in environmental engineering and electronics engineering to the upcoming ST-Radar facility of ARIES, Nainital,” Kumar further informed. This programme is being sponsored by the Department Of Science And Technology, of the Union Government. During the fortnight-long science awareness programme, experts from various universities and institutions from across the country will deliver lectures on topics like ‘introduction to physics and dynamics of the atmosphere’; ‘observational remote sensing techniques to probe the atmosphere’, ‘fundamentals of radar and signal processing’, ‘data retrieval and analysis’ etc,” added the information scientist of the ARIES. Dr L M S Palni, director, Pt. G B Pant Himalaya environment and development institute, Almora, is one of the key speakers of workshop, added Kumar. At the same time, to ensure proper coordination among different agencies and smooth conduct of the progamme a local organising committee has been set up under the chairmanship of Prof. Ram Sagar, director, ARIES. The other members of the committee are P Pant, Manish Naja, Narendra Singh, D V Phani Kumar, Samaresh Bhattacharjee, U C Dumka, Vimlesh Pant, Ashish Kumar and Chandra Prakash. It is to note that ARIES is going to establish and commission the ST-Radar in a bid to study and research on atmospheric sciences in the Himalayan region of India. The Government of India has approved for the installation of this state-of-the-art ST-Radar. “It would take us at least a year to set up the radar here at ARIES campus,” further said Kumar. ARIES is located at the foothills of Central Himalayas, Nainital and is an autonomous research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology, Govt of India.