Seeking closer cooperation with India in space data, Australia has expressed keenness to collaborate with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for sharing scientific space data to guard its 59,736-km-long coastline against tsunami and storms.

Accordingly to media reports, Australia has shown interest in getting data from Indian satellite Oceansat-2, which can measure ocean colour, a specialised property. Australia has also showed keenness for data from the positioning satellite system of India known as that Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) and from the new microwave satellite RISAT, which can monitor precise ground level changes.

"Australia has a 59,736-km-long coastline and with data from Oceansat-2, we can know in advance about tsunami and other storms. We would like to have access to high resolution data from Indian Space Research Organisation," said Andy Barnicoat, Chief of Minerals and Natural Hazard Division at Geoscience Australia.

Reports say, Australia is also keen to have access to positioning satellite system of India -the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) which flies past Australia in its orbit and has some foot prints about Australia.

Australia is also looking for precise data from new microwave satellite RISAT, which can monitor precise ground level changes, the report said.

The Oceansat-2 can measure ocean colour which helps to know in advance about tsunami risks and other storms, and also in evaluating shallow water depth, Barnicoat was quoted as saying.

Oceansat-2 is an Indian satellite designed to provide service continuity for operational users of the Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) instrument on Oceansat-1.

Accordingly to reports, Oceansat-2 is used to study surface winds and ocean surface strata, observe chlorophyll concentrations, monitor phytoplankton blooms and study atmospheric aerosols and suspended sediments in water.

The IRNSS on the other hand, is a network of 21 ranging stations located across the country which will provide data for the orbit determination of the satellites and monitoring of the navigation signal.

The IRNSS positioning satellite flies past Australia in its orbit and Australia is keen to access the foot prints it has about Australia, Barnicoat said.

Further, Australia wants precise data from new microwave satellite RISAT, which can monitor precise ground level changes. It also boasts of foot print satellite laser facility which will help in precise calculation of orbits. It also has the capability of taking images of Earth during day and night, as well as in cloudy conditions, report said.

Barnicoat was quoted saying he will be meeting ISRO officials in Bangalore soon.