As part of the International Year of the Ocean (IYO), which is being observed this year, the Department of Ocean Development (DOD) has proposed to deploy its research vessel, ORV Sagar Kanya, for a study of the characteristics of the aerosol over the oceanic regions and their optical effects.During the cruise, which is to begin on February 17 and last for six weeks upto March 30, field data on radiation and aerosol chemistry and flux measurements over the tropical Indian Ocean is to be collected along the sector from Marmagao to Port Louis in Mauritius.