National Centre for Earth Science Studies

RAD hosts the Map Library of NCESS that has a good collection of maps and aerial photographs. Toposheets with scales of 1: 250, 000;1: 50, 000; 1: 25,000; 1: 63360 are stored in the library for use by the Scientists. Map library also has a good collection of Aerial photographs, Cadastral maps and Panchayat Resource maps for various geological applications.

Contact person: Group Head, HyP and Smt. C Sakunthala,

Tel: 0471 2511609

GIS laboratory was established in RAD in the year 1995. This was the first functional GIS laboratory not only in CESS but perhaps in Kerala. The laboratory started functioning with Arc-Info software, digitiser and plotter. ILWIS software was also put to use for limited purposes. Subsequently other soft wares like Arc-GIS, and ERDAS were added to strengthen the Laboratory.

First project executed was for Kerala State Pollution Control Board to prepare Zoining Atlas for Siting Industries in Palakkad, Ernakulam and Kannur districts and Kanjikode Industrial Estate. Remote Sensing work remained integral part of this laboratory. Few of the most significant projects executed are Preparation of digital road map of Trivandrum district using PAN imagery, funded by Kerala Highway Research Institute, GIS application for urban space management of TRIDA, Evaluation of Pamba Irrigation project, GIS application in riverine pollution studies, ADB sponsored High Priority Area Compendium in relation to coastal and marine resource management and RS-GIS application for generation of environmental statistics, funded by Central Statistical Organisation. In addition to GIS software, lab is well equipped with other instruments like total GPS station, current meter, map reader etc to support R & D activities.

Dr. Reji Srinivas, Coordinator, T: 0471-2511706, E: reji[dot]srinivas[at]ncess[dot]gov[dot]in

Instruments: AAS – Perkin Elmer (Analyst 200), Mercury Analyser – Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (MA 5840)

Capabilities: Major, minor and trace element analysis of solid and liquid samples

Results: Qualitative and quantitative estimation of heavy metals

Achievements: Evaluation of heavy metal content in various water samples

Download AAS Analysis Request Form

Main Chemical lab is equipped to carryout routine evaluation of chemical and physical parameters in water and wastewaters for both qualitative and quantitative determination of light metals and pesticides content.

1. GC – Perkin Elmer (N651-9101 CLARUS 500)
2. Bacteriological Incubator – Labline
3. Laboratory oven – Labline
4. Muffle Furnace – Bio-Technics India
5. BOD Incubator – Calton
6. UV Spectrophotometer – Shimadzu (UV-1800)
7. Flame photometer – (CL-361)
8. Flame photometer – (CL-378)
9. Electronic weighing balance – Sartorius (BP221 S)
10. Sediment Squeezer
11. Rotary Vacuum Evaporator – Eyela (NVC 2100)

Download Water/Sediment Analysis Request Form

This lab is engaged in estimation of primary productivity, chlorophyll a and phaeophytin and in identification and qualitative and quantitative estimation of phytoplankton, zoo plankton and benthic organisms

The database of primary production and total chlorophyll concentration (chlorophyll a & phaeophytin) are used for Ocean Colour Monitoring (OCM) along with OCEANSAT-2 data.

1. Binocular microscope – Olympus (CX 41)
2. Binocular microscope – Olympus (CH 20)
3. Dissection microscope – Olympus (SZ 60)
4. Binocular microscope – CETI

Achievements: Biomonitoring of major hotspot areas of pollution (industrial and domestic) along Kerala and Karnataka coast