Minister inaugurates meteorological radar in São José dos Campos

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Marcos Pontes, participated today (the first) in the inauguration of the RMT 200 radar of the National Center for Monitoring and Warning of Natural Disasters (Cemaden), a research unit of the Ministry. The radar, developed in partnership with IACIT, is installed in the area donated by the city of São José dos Campos for the city’s final Cemaden headquarters.

According to the ministry, the meteorological radar RMT 0200 covers a radius of 400 kilometers (kilometres), covers the Paraíba Valley, the northern coast, urban areas of São Paulo and Campinas and some cities in southern Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, and is able to provide accurate information about extreme weather phenomena, Related to better control of these areas

The RMT 0200 is a dual-polarized solid-state weather radar. It can provide, for example, data on the composition of so-called cumulonimbus clouds (CB), the dense, rapidly growing clouds that cause massive storms. Radar monitors the size of water droplets and hail crystals in these clouds. Using this information, it is possible to predict the size, location and time of precipitation.

Combined with information provided by rain gauges, hydrological stations and geotechnical sensors, as well as other instruments installed in danger zones, this data will serve to Cemaden to increase its ability to prevent disasters and issue early warnings for locations covered by coverage.

Recalling the ten years of Kemadan’s existence, the minister said that the center plays several important roles, including saving lives, in a climate change scenario that has many impacts on the planet. “This work by Cemaden in disaster monitoring and warning is done in a unique way, with quality, technology and science. At least 70% of Cemaden scholars have PhDs in the most diverse fields.”

Pontes also said that he has plans to expand Simaden’s activities, not only with the use of radar, but also with the development of disaster rescue technologies and equipment and an international agreement with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) of Austria. “This organization monitors any nuclear explosion tests and other events such as tsunamis across the planet and Cimaden will be the organization here in Brazil responsible for managing all this data,” he explained.

The Minister highlighted the importance of Simaden’s performance in a climate change scenario on planet Earth, with different impacts. “Simaden’s work in disaster monitoring and warning is done in a unique way with quality, technology and science,” he said.

Cemaden’s director, Osvaldo Moraes, stated that the average number of people who died due to natural disasters in Brazil in the past 10 years has fallen by more than 50%. “This is the result of detailed work with many institutions. We are also indebted to Cemaden’s success for all the partnerships we have with the various institutions that work with risk management in Brazil.”

Moraes noted that the unit has implemented an innovative methodology for monitoring and issuing alerts for natural disasters, based on three axes: risk area mapping, risk area monitoring network design and a multidisciplinary team.

He highlighted the relevant role of the organization’s human resources and multidisciplinary team, which in the past 10 years has issued about 15,000 disaster alerts.