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RAS question

Oceansat-2 carries which instrument for measuring ocean colour?

Correct answer: (A) OCM-2.

Oceansat-2 carries OCM-2, the Ocean Colour Monitor-2, as its ocean-colour measuring instrument.

  1. (A)

    OCM-2

  2. (B)

    SCAT

  3. (C)

    ROSA

  4. (D)

    ORCA

Explanation

Oceansat-2, launched by PSLV-C14 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on 23 September 2009, carried three payloads. For ocean colour, the relevant payload is OCM-2, the Ocean Colour Monitor-2, used for biological oceanography. The ISRO mission page lists Ocean Colour Monitor as one of the satellite's three payloads, alongside Ku-band Pencil Beam Scatterometer and ROSA. OCM-2 is tied to ocean-colour monitoring, while SCAT and ROSA serve different measurement roles. Oceansat-2 therefore used OCM-2 for ocean-colour measurement, not merely another payload carried on the same satellite.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (B) SCAT was the Ku-band scatterometer on Oceansat-2, associated with wind-vector measurement rather than ocean-colour measurement.
  • (C) ROSA was the Radio Occultation Sounder for Atmosphere, so it belongs to atmospheric sounding, not ocean-colour monitoring.
  • (D) ORCA was not among Oceansat-2's three payloads; ISRO names Ocean Colour Monitor, Ku-band Pencil Beam Scatterometer, and ROSA.

Concept

Indian remote-sensing satellites and their payload functions are a recurring RAS Science and Technology theme because exam preparation often requires matching space missions with instruments and applications.

Source

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