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SUMMARY:Short duration extreme precipitation events and acute heat stresse
 s in Southern India : Two case studies with suggested remedial measures - 
 Prof Sat Ghosh\, FRMetS (VIT\, Vellore\, India and University of Leeds\, U
 .K.)
DTSTART:20240719T130000Z
DTEND:20240719T140000Z
UID:TALK218686@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Siddharth Gumber
DESCRIPTION:Short duration intense precipitation over India’s rice bowl 
 in the Kaveri Delta is a matter of concern for not just farmers\, but also
  for conservationists concerned with the functioning of a 2000-year-old\, 
 but still functioning water diversionary structure. It is found that altho
 ugh the year 2022 was a weak La Nina year\, the area was battered by short
  duration intense precipitation from warm rain microphysics as well as fro
 m frozen hydrometeors causing undesirable flooding. Research results also 
 project a heightened vulnerability of the region to flooding with an estim
 ated 146 km2 of land being submerged\, including over 65% of agricultural 
 land. Sub zones in major watersheds that are currently safe will get inund
 ated in RCP8.5 scenario in 2050. By coupling predicted rainfall intensity 
 with a hydrological model\, the depth and velocity of floodwaters in the s
 ub-basins helped identify vulnerable parts of the iconic structure.  The r
 esults obtained can serve as a ready reckoner to support decisions in prio
 ritizing emergency support in vulnerable zones and constructing shelter ho
 mes.\n\nThe second part of the talk relates to smart rainwater harvesting 
 to promote hydraulic air-conditioning in years of extreme heat stress and 
 learning from earlier vernacular traditions. A 1000-year-old Jain settleme
 nt in Arettipur promoted an early form of air conditioning and learnt how 
 to adapt to heat stress in a region where the Monsoons often failed. The A
 retippurians used composite building fabrics which modulated heat transfer
  to the interiors.  A site visit revealed that a unique and engineered mic
 ro-climate was made to prevail on this hilltop settlement. A granite skirt
 ed reservoir was indeed the pièce-de-résistance promoting optimal therma
 l comfort indices in and around the settlement. Observational and modellin
 g studies established how this fanned chilled air across the open plan tem
 ples\, courtyards\, and lived-in areas. Engineered microclimatic adaptatio
 ns with staggered layout\, unique building forms\, use of mixed building f
 abric\, and carefully chosen glazing ratios largely contributed to the pas
 sive cooling which kept the settlement cool and comfortable. 
LOCATION:BAS Cambridge Seminar Room 2 and Zoom
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