Copy of a Letter from J.S. Sarupria, Head, RNODC-INDO, Data & Inf. Division,
                   National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India
                   to Sydney Levitus, US National Oceanographic Data Center

                                     -----------------------------------

  16 April 1999

  Dear Dr. Levitus:

  Enclosed is a recently published CD-ROM containing physical, chemical and
  biological data collected during the JGOFS (india) Arabian Sea Process Study
  Program.

  The Department of Ocean Development, New Delhi has sponsored this study.
  The broad goals of this program are mentioned in this CD.  The field campaigns
  were conducted during 1992 - 1997 in seven cruises onboard ORV Sagar Kanya.
  The details of measurement protocols can be found in the relevant publications,
  though they generally follow the JGOFS protocols.

  The large number of parameters simultaneously measured over seasons covering the
  central Arabian Sea.  The results of this study brought in several new insights 
  such as rate of air-sea flux of CO2, carbon fixation rates resulting from winter
  cooling and open ocean upwelling as well as the coupling of physics with chemistry
  and biology.  The processed data along with other published  information incorporated
  in the CD, will hopefully be used by scientists all over the world to resolve the
  mysteries of the Arabian Sea - a unique tropical ocean basin.

  The CD, in addition to the JGOFS (India) program also contains information about
  the international JGOFS such as its goals, protocols etc.  A user-friendly
  software is also being interfaced with the data to facilitate the user to select
  and retrieve the required information from the CD.

  I hope the information on the CD will be useful.  Your feedback will be highly
  appreciated for improving the future work.
 
  With best regards,

  Yours sincerely,

  (signed)
  J. S. Sarupria

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