CSIR-UGC NET – Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences (Code: 702)
Academic Session: June 2026
COURSE OVERVIEW
Subject Name: Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences
Subject Code: 702
Conducting Bodies: Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) &
University Grants Commission (UGC)
Testing Agency: National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam Type: Joint CSIR-UGC NET
Total Marks: 200
Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Duration: 180 Minutes (3 Hours)
Fellowship Type: JRF / Assistant Professor / Ph.D. Admission
LIST OF UNITS (Verbatim)
Unit I: The Earth and the Solar System
Unit II: Earth Materials, Surface Features and Processes
Unit III: Interior of the Earth, Deformation and Tectonics
Unit IV: Oceans and Atmosphere
Unit V: Environmental Earth Sciences
Unit VI: GEOLOGY – MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY
Unit VII: GEOLOGY – STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY AND GEOTECTONICS
Unit VIII: GEOLOGY – PALEONTOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS
Unit IX: GEOLOGY – SEDIMENTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY
Unit X: GEOLOGY – MARINE GEOLOGY AND PALEOCEANOGRAPHY
Unit XI: GEOLOGY – GEOCHEMISTRY
Unit XII: GEOLOGY – ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
Unit XIII: GEOLOGY – PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY AND CRUSTAL EVOLUTION
Unit XIV: GEOLOGY – QUATERNARY GEOLOGY
Unit XV: GEOLOGY – APPLIED GEOLOGY
Unit XVI: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Unit XVII: GEOPHYSICS
Unit XVIII: METEOROLOGY
Unit XIX: OCEAN SCIENCES
UNIT-WISE DETAILED SYLLABUS EXTRACTION (STRICT TOPIC-WISE ORDER)
Unit I: The Earth and the Solar System
• Topic 1: The Earth and the Solar System
○ Milky Way and the solar system.
○ Modern theories on the origin of the Earth and other planetary bodies.
○ Earth’s orbital parameters, Kepler’s laws of planetary motion, Geological Time Scale;
○ Space and time scales of processes in the solid Earth, atmosphere, and oceans.
○ Radioactive isotopes and their applications.
○ Meteorites: Chemical composition and the Primary differentiation of the Earth.
○ Basic principles of stratigraphy.
○ Theories about the origin of life and the nature of the fossil record.
○ Earth’s gravity and magnetic fields and its thermal structure: Concept of Geoid and spheroid;
○ Isostasy.
Unit II: Earth Materials, Surface Features, and Processes
• Topic 1: Earth Materials, Surface Features and Processes
○ Gross composition and physical properties of important minerals and rocks;
○ properties and processes responsible for mineral concentrations;
○ nature and distribution of rocks and minerals in different units of the Earth and different parts of India.
○ Physiography of the Earth;
○ weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition of Earth s material;
○ formation of soil, sediments and sedimentary rocks;
○ energy balance of the Earth“s surface processes;
○ physiographic features and river basins in India
Unit III: Interior of the Earth, Deformation and Tectonics
• Topic 1: Interior of the Earth, Deformation and Tectonics
○ Basic concepts of seismology and internal structure of the Earth.
○ Physico-chemical and seismic properties of Earth“s interior.
○ Concepts of stress and strain.
○ Behaviour of rocks under stress; Folds, joints and faults.
○ Earthquakes – their causes and measurement.
○ Interplate and intraplate seismicity.
○ Paleomagnetism, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics.
Unit IV: Oceans and Atmosphere
• Topic 1: Oceans and Atmosphere
○ Hypsography of the continents and ocean floor –continental shelf, slope, rise and abyssal plains.
○ Physical and chemical properties of sea water and their spatial variations.
○ Residence times of elements in sea water.
○ Ocean currents, waves and tides, important current systems, thermohaline circulation and the oceanic conveyor belt.
○ Major water masses of the world’s oceans.
○ Biological productivity in the oceans.
○ Motion of fluids, waves in atmospheric and oceanic systems.
○ Atmospheric turbulence and boundary layer.
○ Structure and chemical composition of the atmosphere, lapse rate and stability, scale height, geopotential, greenhouse gases and global warming.
○ Cloud formation and precipitation processes, air- sea interactions on different space and time scales.
○ Insolation and heat budget, radiation balance, general circulation of the atmosphere and ocean.
○ Climatic and sea level changes on different time scales.
○ Coupled ocean-atmosphere system, El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
○ General weather systems of India, – Monsoon system, cyclone and jet stream, Western disturbances and severe local convective systems, distribution of precipitation over India.
○ Marine and atmospheric pollution, ozone depletion.
Unit V: Environmental Earth Sciences
• Topic 1: Environmental Earth Sciences
○ Properties of water; hydrological cycle; water resources and management.
○ Energy resources, uses, degradation, alternatives and management;
○ Ecology and biodiversity.
○ Impact of use of energy and land on the environment.
○ Exploitation and conservation of mineral and other natural resources.
○ Natural hazards.
○ Elements of Remote Sensing.
Unit VI: GEOLOGY – MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY
• Topic 1: MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY
○ Concept of point group, space group, reciprocal lattice, diffraction and imaging.
○ Concepts of crystal field theory and mineralogical spectroscopy.
○ Lattice defects (point, line and planar).
○ Electrical, magnetic and optical properties of minerals.
○ Bonding and crystal structures of common oxides, sulphides, and silicates.
○ Transformation of minerals – polymorphism, polytypism, and polysomatism.
○ Solid solution and exsolution.
○ Steady-state geotherms.
○ Genesis, properties, emplacement and crystallization of magmas.
○ Phase equilibrium studies of simple systems, effect of volatiles on melt equilibria.
○ Magma-mixing, -mingling and -immiscibility.
○ Metamorphic structures and textures; isograds and facies.
○ Mineral reactions with condensed phases, solid solutions, mixed volatile equilibria and thermobarometry.
○ Metamorphism of pelites, mafic -ultra mafic rocks and siliceous dolomites.
○ Material transport during metamorphism.
○ P-T-t path in regional metamorphic terrains, plate tectonics and metamorphism.
○ Petrogenetic aspects of important rock suites of India, such as the Deccan Traps, layered intrusive complexes, anorthosites, carbonaties, charnockites, alkaline rocks, Kimberlites, ophiolites and granitoids.
Unit VII: GEOLOGY – STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY AND GEOTECTONICS
• Topic 1: STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY AND GEOTECTONICS
○ Theory of stress and strain.
○ Behaviour of rocks under stress. Mohr circle.
○ Various states of stress and their representation by Mohr circles.
○ Different types of failure and sliding criteria.
○ Geometry and mechanics of fracturing and conditions for reactivation of pre-existing discontinuities.
○ Common types of finite strain ellipsoids.
○ L-, L-S-, and S-tectonic fabrics.
○ Techniques of strain analysis.
○ Particle paths and flow patterns.
○ Progressive strain history.
○ Introduction to deformation mechanisms.
○ Role of fluids in deformation processes.
○ Geometry and analyses of brittle-ductile and ductile shear zones.
○ Sheath folds.
○ Geometry and mechanics of development of folds, boudins, foliations and lineations.
○ Interference patterns of superposed fold.
○ Fault-related folding.
○ Gravity-induced structures.
○ Tectonic features of extensional-, compressional-, and strike-slip-terrains and relevance to plate boundaries. mantle plumes.
○ Himalayan Orogeny; concept of super continent, their assembly and breakup.
Unit VIII: GEOLOGY – PALEONTOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS
• Topic 1: PALEONTOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS
○ Theories on the origin of life.
○ Organic evolution – Punctuated Equilibrium and Phyletic Gradualism models.
○ Mass extinctions and their causes.
○ Application of fossils in age determination and correlation.
○ Paleoecology, Life habitats and various ecosystems, Paleobiogeography.
○ Modes of preservation of fossils and taphonomic considerations.
○ Types of microfossils.
○ Environmental significance of fossils and trace fossils.
○ Use of microfossils in the interpretation of sea floor tectonism.
○ Application of micropaleontology in hydrocarbon exploration.
○ Oxygen and Carbon isotope studies of microfossils and their use in paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic interpretation.
○ Important invertebrate fossils, vertebrate fossils, plant fossils, and microfossils in Indian stratigraphy.
Unit IX: GEOLOGY – SEDIMENTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY
• Topic 1: SEDIMENTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY
○ Classification of sediments and sedimentary rocks ; clastic, volcanoclastic and chemical.
○ Classification of clastic rocks.
○ Flow regimes and processes of sediment transport.
○ Sedimentary textures and structures.
○ Sedimentary facies and environments, reconstruction of paleoenvironments.
○ Formation and evolution of sedimentary basins.
○ Diagenesis of siliciclastic and carbonate rocks.
○ Recent developments in stratigraphic classification.
○ Code of stratigraphic nomenclature – Stratotypes, Global Boundary Stratotype Sections and Points (GSSP).
○ Lithostratigraphic, chronostratigraphic and biostratigraphic subdivisions.
○ Methods of stratigraphic correlation, including Shaw’s Graphic correlation.
○ Concept of sequence stratigraphy.
○ Rates of sediment accumulation, unconformities.
○ Facies concept in Stratigraphy – Walther’s law.
○ Methods for paleogeographic reconstruction.
○ Earth’s Climatic History.
○ Phanerozoic stratigraphy of India with reference to the type areas– their correlation with equivalent formations in other regions.
○ Boundary problems in Indian Phanerozoic stratigraphy.
Unit X: GEOLOGY – MARINE GEOLOGY AND PALEOCEANOGRAPHY
• Topic 1: MARINE GEOLOGY AND PALEOCEANOGRAPHY
○ Morphologic and tectonic domains of the ocean floor.
○ Structure, composition and mechanism of the formation of oceanic crust.
○ hydrothermal vents-.
○ Ocean margins and their significance.
○ Ocean Circulation, Coriolis effect and Ekman spiral, convergence, divergence and upwelling, El Niño.
○ Indian Ocean Dipole Thermohaline circulation and oceanic conveyor belt.
○ Formation of Bottom waters; major water masses of the world’s oceans.
○ Oceanic sediments: Factors controlling the deposition and distribution of oceanic sediments; geochronology of oceanic sediments, diagenetic changes in oxic and anoxic environments.
○ Tectonic evolution of the ocean basins.
○ Mineral resources.
○ Paleoceanography – Approaches to paleoceanographic reconstructions; various proxy indicators for paleoceanographic interpretation.
○ Reconstruction of monsoon variability by using marine proxy records. Opening and closing of ocean gateways and their effect on circulation and climate during the Cenozoic.
○ Sea level processes and Sea level changes.
○ Methods of paleo Sea Surface temperature.
○ Quantifications.
Unit XI: GEOLOGY – GEOCHEMISTRY
• Topic 1: GEOCHEMISTRY
○ Atomic Structure and properties of elements, the Periodic Table; ionic substitution in minerals;
○ Phase rule and its applications in petrology, thermodynamics of reactions involving pure phases, ideal and non-ideal solutions, and fluids; equilibrium and distribution coefficients.
○ Nucleation and diffusion processes in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary environments, redox reactions and EhpH diagrams and their applications.
○ Mineral/mineral assemblages as „sensors“ of ambient environments.
○ Geochemical studies of aerosols, surface-, marine-, and ground waters.
○ Radioactive decay schemes and their application to geochronology and petrogenesis.
○ Stable isotopes and their application to earth system processes;
○ geochemical differentiation of the earth;
○ geochemical cycles.
Unit XII: GEOLOGY – ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
• Topic 1: ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
○ Magmatic, hydrothermal and surface processes of ore formation.
○ Metallogeny and its relation to crustal evolution;
○ Active ore-forming systems, methods of mineral deposit studies including ore microscopy, fluid inclusions and isotopic systematics;
○ ores and metamorphism- cause and effect relationships.
○ Geological setting, characteristics, and genesis of ferrous, base and noble metals.
○ Origin, migration and entrapment of petroleum; properties of source and reservoir rocks; structural, stratigraphic and combination traps.
○ Methods of petroleum exploration.
○ Concepts of petrophysics, Petroliferous basins of India.
○ Origin of peat, lignite, bitumen and anthracite.
○ Classification, rank and grading of coal; coal petrography, coal resources of India.
○ Gas hydrates and coal bed methane.
○ Nuclear and non-conventional energy resources.
Unit XIII: GEOLOGY – PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY AND CRUSTAL EVOLUTION
• Topic 1: PRECAMBRIAN GEOLOGY AND CRUSTAL EVOLUTION
○ Evolution of lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and cryosphere;
○ lithological, geochemical and stratigraphic characteristics of granite–greenstone and granulite belts.
○ Stratigraphy and geochronology of the cratonic nuclei, mobile belts and Proterozoic sedimentary basins of India.
○ Life in the Precambrian.
○ Precambrian – Cambrian boundary with special reference to India.
Unit XIV: GEOLOGY – QUATERNARY GEOLOGY
• Topic 1: QUATERNARY GEOLOGY
○ Definition of Quaternary.
○ Quaternary Stratigraphy – Oxygen Isotope stratigraphy, biostratigraphy and magnetostratigraphy.
○ Quaternary climates – glacial-interglacial cycles, eustatic changes, proxy indicators of paleoenvironmental/ paleoclimatic changes, – land, ocean and cryosphere (ice core studies).
○ Responses of geomorphic systems to climate, sea level and tectonics on variable time scales in the Quaternary,
○ Quaternary dating methods –radiocarbon, Uranium series, Luminescence, Amino-acid.
○ Quaternary stratigraphy of India– continental records (fluvial, glacial, aeolian, palaeosols and duricrust); marine records; continental-marine correlation of Quaternary record.
○ Evolution of man and Stone Age cultures.
○ Plant and animal life in relation to glacial and interglacial cycles during the Quaternary.
○ Tectonic geomorphology, neotectonics, active tectonics and their applications to natural hazard assessment.
Unit XV: GEOLOGY – APPLIED GEOLOGY
• Topic 1 Remote Sensing and GIS
○ Elements of photogrammetry, elements of photo-interpretation,
○ electromagnetic spectrum, emission range, film and imagery, sensors, geological interpretations of air photos and imagery.
○ Global positioning systems.
○ GIS- data structure, attribute data, thematic layers and query analysis.
• Topic 2 Engineering Geology
○ Engineering properties of rocks and physical characteristics of building stones, concretes and other aggregates.
○ Geological investigations for the construction of dams, bridges, highways and tunnels. Remedial measures.
○ Mass movements with special emphasis on landslides and causes of hillslope instability.
○ Seismic design of buildings.
• Topic 3 Mineral Exploration
○ Geological, geophysical, geochemical and geobotanical methods of surface and sub-surface exploration on different scales.
○ Sampling, assaying and evaluation of mineral deposits.
• Topic 4 Hydrogeology
○ Groundwater, Darcy’s law, hydrological characteristics of aquifers, hydrological cycle.
○ Precipitation, evapotranspiration and infiltration processes.
○ Hydrological classification of water-bearing formations.
○ Fresh and salt-water relationships in coastal and inland areas.
○ Groundwater exploration and water pollution.
○ Groundwater regimes in India.
Unit XVI: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
• Topic 1) Geomorphology
○ Concepts in geomorphology.
○ Historical and process Geomorphology.
○ Landforms in relation to climate, rock type, structure, and tectonics.
○ Processes – weathering, pedogenesis, mass movement, erosion, transportation, and deposition.
○ Geomorphic processes and landforms – fluvial, glacial, eolian, coastal, and karst.
○ River forms and processes – stream flow, stage-discharge relationship; hydrographs and flood frequency analysis.
○ Submarine relief.
○ Geomorphology and topographic analysis, including DEM,
○ Environmental change- causes, effects on processes and landforms.
○ Extra-terrestrial geomorphology.
• Topic 2) Climatology
○ Fundamental principles of climatology.
○ Earth’s radiation balance; latitudinal and seasonal variation of insolation, temperature, pressure, wind belts, humidity, cloud formation and precipitation, and water balance.
○ Air masses, monsoon, Jet streams, tropical cyclones, and ENSO.
○ Classification of climates – Koppen’s and Thornthwaite’s scheme of classification.
○ Climate change.
• Topic 3) Bio-geography
○ Elements of biogeography with special reference to India;
○ environment, habitat, plant-animal association; zoo-geography of India;
○ Biomes, elements of plant geography, distribution of forests and major plant communities.
○ Distribution of major animal communities.
○ Conservation of forests.
○ Wildlife sanctuaries and parks.
• Topic 4) Environmental Geography
○ Man-land relationship.
○ Resources – renewable and non-renewable.
○ Natural and man-made hazards – droughts, floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis.
○ Ecological balance, environmental pollution and deterioration.
• Topic 5) Geography of India
○ Physiography, drainage, climate, soils and natural resources – the Himalaya, Ganga-Brahmaputra Plains, and peninsular India Precambrian shield, the Gondwana rift basins, Deccan Plateau.
○ Indian climatology with special reference to seasonal distribution and variation of temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation;
○ Climate zones of India.
○ Agricultural geography of India.
○ Population – its distribution and characteristics.
○ Urbanization and migration.
○ Environmental problems and issues.
Unit XVII: GEOPHYSICS
• Topic 1) Signal Processing
○ Continuous and discrete signals; Fourier series; auto and cross correlations, linear time invariant systems with deterministic and random inputs;
○ band limited signal and sampling theorem; Fourier and Fast Fourier transforms; Z-transform; convolution;
○ Filters: discrete and continuous, recursive, non-recursive, optimal and inverse filters; deconvolution; fractal analysis.
• Topic 2) Field theory
○ Newtonian potential; Laplace and Poisson”s equations; Green”s Theorem; Gauss” law;
○ Continuation integral; equivalent stratum;
○ Maxwell”s equations and electromagnetic theory;
○ Displacement potential, Helmhotz”s theorem and seismic wave propagation.
• Topic 3) Numerical analysis and inversion
○ Numerical differentiation and integration, finite element, and finite difference techniques; Simpson”s rules; Gauss” quadrature formula; initial value problems;
○ pattern recognition in Geophysics.
○ Well posed and ill-posed problems; method of least squares; direct search and gradient methods; generalized inversion techniques; singular value decomposition; global optimization.
• Topic 4) Gravity and Magnetic fields of the earth
○ Normal gravity field; Clairaut”s theorem; Shape of the earth; deflection of the vertical, geoid, free-air, Bouguer and isostatic anomalies, isostatic models for local and regional compensation.
○ Geomagnetic field, secular and transient variations and their theories; palaeomagnetism, construction of polar wandering curves.
• Topic 5) Plate Tectonics and Geodynamics
○ Marine magnetic anomalies, sea floor spreading; mid-oceanic ridges and geodynamics; plate tectonics hypothesis; plate boundaries and seismicity.
○ Heat flow mechanisms, thermal modelling of earth,core-mantle convection and mantle plumes.
• Topic : 6)Seismology Elastic theory
○ Seismometry: short period, long period, broad band and strong motion;
○ elements of earthquake seismology; seismic sources: faulting source, double couple hypothesis, seismic moment tensor, focal mechanism and fault plane solutions; seismic gaps; seismotectonics and structure of the earth;
○ Himalayan and stable continental region earthquakes, reservoir induced seismicity; seismic hazards; earthquake prediction,
○ travel time residuals, velocity anomalies, seismic tomography.
• Topic 7) Gravity and Magnetic Methods
○ Gravimeters and magnetometers; data acquisition from land, air and ship; corrections and reduction of anomalies; ambiguity; regional and residual separation; continuation and derivative calculations;
○ interpretation of anomalies of simple geometric bodies, single pole, sphere, horizontal cylinder, sheet, dyke and fault.
○ Forward modelling and inversion of arbitrary shaped bodies and 2-D, 3-D interfaces.
○ Interpretations in frequency domain.
• Topic 8) Electrical and Electromagnetic Methods
○ Electrical profiling and sounding, typical sounding curves, pseudo-sections; resistivity transform and direct interpretation; induced polarization methods.
○ Electromagnetic field techniques; elliptic polarization, in-phase and out of phase components, horizontal and vertical loop methods; interpretation;
○ VLF (very low frequency); AFMAG (Audio frequency magnetic) methods; and central frequency sounding;
○ transient electromagnetic methods; magneto-telluric method; geomagnetic depth sounding.
• Topic 9) Seismic Methods
○ Generalized Snell”s Law; Ray theory; reflection, refraction, diffraction; Zoeppritz”s equation; seismic energy sources; detectors; seismic noises and noise profile analysis;
○ seismic data recording, reduction to a datum and weathering corrections;
○ Interpretation of refraction and reflection data; CDP/CMP; velocity analysis, F-K filtering, stacking, deconvolution, migration before and after stack; bright spot analysis; wavelet processing; attenuation studies, shear waves, AVO; VSP; introduction to 3D seismics; seismic stratigraphy.
• Topic 10) Well logging
○ Open hole, cased hole and production logging;
○ Electrical logs; lateral, latero, induction, temperature, S.P;
○ porosity logs; sonic, density, neutron; natural gamma;
○ determination of formation factor, porosity, permeability, density, water saturation, lithology;
○ logging while drilling.
Unit XVIII: METEOROLOGY
• Topic 1) Climatology
○ Same as under Geography
• Topic 2) Physical Meteorology
○ Thermal structure of the atmosphere and its composition.
○ Radiation: basic Laws – Rayleigh and Mie scattering, multiple scattering, radiation from the sun, solar constant, effect of clouds, surface and planetary albedo.
○ Emission and absorption of terrestrial radiation, radiation windows, radiative transfer, Greenhouse effect, net radiation budget;
○ Thermodynamics of dry and moist air: specific gas constant, Adiabatic and isoentropic processes, entropy and enthalpy, Moisture variables, virtual temperature; Clausius–Clapeyron equation, adiabatic process of moist air; thermodynamic diagrams:
○ Hydrostatic equilibrium: Hydrostatic equation, variation of pressure with height, geopotential, standard atmosphere, altimetry.
○ Vertical stability of the atmosphere: Dry and moist air parcel and slice methods. Tropical convection.
○ Atmospheric optics – visibility – optical phenomenon – rainbows, haloes, corona, glarg, mirage.
• Topic 3) Atmospheric Electricity
○ Fair weather electric field in the atmosphere and potential gradients, ionization in the atmosphere.
○ Electrical fields in thunderstorms, theories of thunderstorm electrification – Structure of lightning flash-mechanism of earth-atmospheric change balance-role of thunderstorms.
• Topic 4) Cloud Physics
○ Cloud classification, condensation nuclei, growth of cloud drops and ice-crystals,
○ precipitation mechanisms: Bergeron, Findeisen process, coalescence process – Precipitation of warm and mixed clouds, artificial precipitation, hail suppression, fog and cloud – dissipation,
○ radar observation of clouds and precipitation, radar equation, rain drop spectra, radar echoes of hail storms and tornadoes, radar observation of hurricanes, measurements of rainfall by radar.
• Topic 5) Dynamic Meteorology
○ Basic equations and fundamental forces: Pressure, gravity, centripetal and Coriolis forces, continuity equation in Cartesian and isobaric coordinates.
○ Momentum equation, Cartesian and spherical coordinates; scale analysis, inertial flow, geostrophic and gradient winds, thermal wind.
○ Divergence and vertical motion Rossby, Richardson, Reynolds, and Froude numbers.
○ Circulation, vorticity and divergence; Bjerknes circulation theorem and applications, vorticity and divergence equations, scale analysis, potential vorticity, stream function and velocity potential.
○ Atmospheric turbulence: Mixing length theory, planetary boundary layer equations, surface layer, Ekman layer, eddy transport of heat, moisture, and momentum, Richardson criterion;
○ Linear Perturbation Theory: Internal and external gravity waves, inertia waves, gravity waves, Rossby waves, wave motion in the tropics, barotropic and baroclinic instabilities.
○ Atmospheric Energetics: Kinetic, potential, and internal energies – conversion of potential and internal energies into kinetic energy, available potential energy.
• Topic 6) Numerical Weather Prediction
○ computational instability, filtering of sound and gravity waves, filtered forecast equations, barotropic and equivalent barotropic models, two-parameter baroclinic model, relaxation method.
○ Multi-layer primitive equation models.
○ Short, medium, and long-range weather prediction.
○ Objective analysis; Initialization of the data for use in weather prediction models; data assimilation techniques; application of satellite in NWP (Numerical Weather Prediction) and remotely sensed data.
• Topic 7) General Circulation and Climate Modelling
○ Observed zonally symmetric circulations, meridional circulation models, mean meridional and eddy transport of momentum and energy, angular momentum and energy budgets;
○ zonally asymmetric features of general circulation; standing eddies; east-west circulations in tropics:
○ climate variability and forcings; feedback processes, low frequency variability, MJO Madden-Julian oscillation, ENSO, QBO (quasi-biennial oscillation) and sunspot cycles.
○ Basic principles of general circulation modelling; grid-point and spectral GCMs; role of the ocean in climate modelling;
○ interannual variability of ocean fields (SST, winds, circulation, etc.) and its relationship with monsoon, concepts of ocean–atmosphere coupled models.
• Topic 8) Synoptic Meteorology
○ Weather observations and transmission, synoptic charts, analysis of surface, upper air, other derivative charts, streamlines, isotachs and contour analysis; tilt and slope of pressure/weather systems with height.
○ Synoptic weather forecasting, prediction of weather elements such as rain, maximum and minimum temperature and fog; hazardous weather elements like thunderstorms, duststorms, tornadoes.
○ Tropical meteorology: Trade wind inversion, ITCZ; monsoon trough tropical cyclones, their structure and development theory; monsoon depressions; tropical easterly jet stream; low-level jets, Somali jet, waves in easterlies; western disturbances; SW and NE monsoons; synoptic features associated with onset, withdrawal, break active and weak monsoons and their prediction.
○ Air masses and fronts: sources, origin, and classification of air masses; and fronts, frontogenesis, and frontolysis; structure of cold and warm fronts; weather systems associated with fronts.
○ Extra-tropical synoptic scale features: jet streams, extratropical cyclones, and anticyclones.
• Topic 9) Aviation Meteorology
○ Role of meteorology in aviation, weather hazards associated with take off, cruising, and landing, in-flight icing, turbulence, visibility, fog, clouds, rain, gusts, wind shear, and thunderstorms, nowcasting, and very short range forecasting.
• Topic 10) Satellite Meteorology
○ Meteorological satellites – Polar orbiting and geostationary satellites, visible and infrared radiometers, multiscanner radiometers;
○ identification of synoptic systems, fog and sandstorms, detection of cyclones, estimation of SST, cloud top temperatures, winds, and rainfall: temperature and humidity soundings.
Unit XIX: OCEAN SCIENCES
• Topic 1) Physical Oceanography
○ T-S diagrams; mixing processes in the oceans; characteristics of important water masses.
○ Wind-generated waves in the oceans; their characteristics; shallow and deep water waves. Propagation, refraction, and reflection of waves. Wave spectrum, principles of wave forecasting.
○ Tide-producing forces and their magnitudes; prediction of tides by the harmonic method; tides and tidal currents in shallow seas, estuaries, and rivers.
○ Factors influencing coastal processes; transformation of waves in shallow water; effects of stratification; effect of bottom friction, phenomena of wave reflection, refraction and diffraction; breakers and surf; littoral currents; wave action on sediments – movement to beach material; rip currents; beach stability, ocean beach nourishment; harbour resonance; seiches; tsunami; interaction of waves and structure.
○ Estuaries: classification and nomenclature; tides in estuaries; estuarine circulation and mixing; depth–averaged and breadth – averaged models; sedimentation in estuaries; salinity intrusion in estuaries; effect of stratification; coastal pollution; mixing and dispersal of pollutants in estuaries and near-shore areas; coastal zone management.
○ The global wind system; action of wind on ocean surface; Ekman’s theory; Sverdrup, Stommel, and Munk’s theories; upwelling and sinking with special reference to the Indian Ocean.
○ Inertial currents; divergences and convergences; geostrophic motion; barotropic and baroclinic conditions; oceanic eddies, relationship between density, pressure, and dynamic topography; relative and slope currents.
○ Wind-driven coastal currents; typical scales of motion in the ocean.
○ Characteristics of the global conveyor belt circulation and its causes.
○ Formation of subtropical gyres; western boundary currents; equatorial current systems; El Niño; monsoonal winds and currents over the North Indian Ocean; Somali current; southern ocean.
○ Upwelling process in the Arabian Sea.
• Topic 2) Chemical Oceanography
○ Composition of seawater – Classification of elements based on their distribution; major and minor elements, their behavior, and chemical exchanges across interfaces and residence times in seawater.
○ Element chemistry in atypical conditions-estuaries, hydrothermal vents, anoxic basins, HNLC waters, sediment pore fluid, and anthropogenic inputs.
○ Chemical and biological interactions – Ionic interactions; biochemical cycling of nutrients, trace metals, and organic matter.
○ Air-sea exchange of important biogenic dissolved gases; carbon dioxide-carbonate system; alkalinity and control of pH; biological pump.
○ Factors affecting sedimentary deposits-CaCO3, Silicate, Manganese nodules, phosphorites, and massive single deposits.
• Topic 3) Geological Oceanography
○ Same topics as under subhead “Marine Geology & paleo-oceanography.”
• Topic 4) Biological Oceanography
○ Classification of the marine environment and marine organisms.
○ Physico-chemical factors affecting marine life – light, temperature, salinity, pressure, nutrients, dissolved gases; adaptation and biological processes.
○ Primary and secondary production; factors controlling phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance and diversity; nekton and fisheries oceanography; benthic organisms;
○ coastal marine communities and community ecology – estuaries, coral reefs and mangrove communities, deep-sea ecology, including hydrothermal vent communities.
○ Energy flow and mineral cycling – energy transfer and transfer efficiencies through different trophic levels; food webs including the microbial loop.
○ Human impacts on marine communities; impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity.
○ Impact of pollution on marine environments, including fisheries.
SYLLABUS SUMMARY (Auto-Generated)
Total Units: 19
Total Topics: 46
Subject: Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Planetary Sciences
Subject Code: 702
Exam Category: CSIR-UGC NET
Academic Session: June 2026
“As per the latest official syllabus.”