Scientometric Study of the Research Performance on Tsunami:
The Indian Perspective
Senthilkumar R,
Surulinathi M
Dr. R. Balasubramni
Librarian (S.S) Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, India
Ph.D Research Scholar, DLIS, Annamalai University, India
Asst., Librarian, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore, India
Abstract
This paper attempts to analyze quantitatively the growth and development of Tsunami
Research in India in terms of publication output as reflected in Web of Science database (SCI) for
the period, 1998 to 2007. Tsunami researchers published a total of 133 papers during the period.
The study suggests that Tsunami research in India is still in its infancy.
Indext Terms:Tsunami, Scientometric Study, India
1. INTRODUCTION
Scientometric study is describes the output traits in terms of organizational research
structure, resource inputs and outputs, develops benchmarks to evaluate the quality of information
output. Scientometric studies characterize the disciplines using the growth pattern and other
attributes. These studies have potential particularly in assessing the emerging disciplines. Thus,
Scientometric Study of Research Performance of Tsunami has potential and enables the users to
get an understanding the structure of it.
1.1 About Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of waves created when a body of water, such as an ocean, is rapidly
displaced. Earthquakes, mass movements above or below water, volcanic eruptions and other
underwater explosions, landslides, large meteorite impacts and testing with nuclear weapons at
sea all have the potential to generate a tsunami. The effects of a tsunami can range from
unnoticeable to devastating. The Latin derivative of the word for the smaller waves experienced
across the Italian coast was Fillius Sum Sunamus which means, son of tsunamis, inspired by the
Japanese word similar to "tsunami" after relations with the shogun of Japan.
The tsunami affected India’s southeast coast, predominantly in the state of Tamil Nadu,
as well as the Indian territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In terms of the death toll, India
had the third highest total following Indonesia and Sri Lanka. On the Indian mainland, more than
8,800 people are confirmed dead with thousands more still missing. Of this total, almost 8,000 of
the deaths were from Tamil Nadu and 600 were from Pondicherry. At least 1,316 of the
Andaman and Nicobar islands' 400,000 people are confirmed dead and 5,542 are missing - 4,500
from Katchall island alone. At least 140,000 Indians, mostly from fishing families, are being
sheltered in relief centers.
2. SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
The present study attempts to find out the publication pattern of researchers in Tsunami.
The study is based on the references and aims to analyse quantitatively the growth and
development of Tsunami in India in terms of publication output as reflected in Web of Science
database during years, 1998-2007. The authorship pattern and author productivity are
examined to identify the pattern of research contribution in Tsunami. The area-wise
research performance is analysed to identify hot area of research. The study is mainly
exploratory in nature in identifying research output of Indian researchers.
2.1 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of the study is to present the growth of literature and make the
quantitative assessment of status of researchers in Tsunami in India by analyzing the various
features. The specific objectives are:

To measure the year-wise growth of publications in terms of input of records

To measure the domain-wise contributions

To measure the authorship pattern in the publications

To measure the Source of publications

To measure the format of publications
3. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Year-wise Distribution of Research Output in Tsunami
Tsunami research output of National level is mainly concentrated in the table 1. The
below table indicates the total output made by the Indian researcher between 1998-2007. The
number of publication is accounted to 1 in 1998 and it raised upto 62 in 2005. The publication
output in 2005 is noted to be the highest productivity of 46.62 per cent output over the study
period. From the discussion, it could be deduced that there is a gradual growth trend noted in
terms of publication output made by the Indian researchers. ln the present study the total output
has been observed to 133 for 10 years and no research output in 1999 to 2004.
Table 1 Showing Year-wise Distribution of Research Output in Tsunami
Publication Research
Year
Output Percentage
2005
62
46.62
2006
45
33.83
2007
25
18.80
1998
1
0.75
Total
133
100.00
Cum %
46.62
80.45
99.25
100.00
3.2 Author-wise Distribution of Research Output
The total contributions published by Indian researchers are calculated to 133 over the
study period. It could be noted that one-authored papers rank first in order sharing 22.56 per cent
of the total research output. The two-authored papers follow the second in order taking 18.80 per
cent of the total research contributions. The three-authored contributions take the third in the
order sharing 15.04 per cent of the total scientific research output during the study period. Four
and Five authored papers rank next in the order reporting 8 author contributions results in 12.73
per cent of total Tsunami research output. Dimri, VP has occupied the first rank in
publications. It can be clearly visualized from the below table 2 and 3.
Table 2. Showing Author wise distribution of Research Output
No of Authors
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 and Above
Total
No of
Contribution
30
25
20
14
14
10
3
17
133
Percentage
Cum. %
22.56
18.80
15.04
10.53
10.53
7.52
2.25
12.73
100.00
22.56
41.36
56.40
66.93
77.46
84.98
87.23
100.00
Table 3 Showing Ranking of Individual Author
Author
DIMRI, VP
JAMBULINGAM, P
RAJENDRAN, CP
AGARWAL, N
AGARWAL, VK
BALARAMAN, K
DANIELSEN, F
DAS, PK
GUNASEKARAN, K
Research
Output
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
%
3.01
3.01
3.01
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
HANSEN, LB
JOSEPH, A
KARUNAGARAN, VM
MURTHY, KSR
OLWIG, MF
PARISH, F
PRABHUDESAI, RG
RAJENDRAN, K
RASMUSSEN, MS
SELVAM, V
SORENSEN, MK
SRINIVASALU, S
67 Authors-2 Publications
317 Authors – 1 Publication
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
67*2
317*1
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
1.50
0.75
3.3 Institutions-wise Distribution of Research Output
Table 4 indicates Institution-wise Tsunami research productivity. It is noted that National
Institute of Oceanography ranks first in order by contributing 12.03 per cent of total research
output. National Institute of Oceanography have well established infrastructure facility related to
Tsunami. The second place in order is recorded by National Geophysics Research Institute which
shares 10.53 per cent, Indian Institute of Technology contributing 8.27 per cent of total scientific
research output of the specified institution takes third place in order. The other 92 Institutions
have given less than 10 research output.
Table 4. Showing Institutions-wise Distribution of Research Output
Research
Institution Name
Output
NATL INST OCEANOG
16
NATL GEOPHYS RES INST
14
INDIAN INST TECHNOL
11
ANNA UNIV
9
CTR EARTH SCI STUDIES
7
MS SWAMINATHAN RES FDN
6
UNIV MADRAS
5
VECTOR CONTROL RES CTR
5
ANNAMALAI UNIV
4
BHARATHIDASAN UNIV
3
CENT SALT & MARINE CHEM RES INST
3
DEPT OCEAN DEV
3
GLOBAL ENVIRONM CTR
3
ISRO
3
%
12.03
10.53
8.27
6.77
5.26
4.51
3.76
3.76
3.01
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
NATL CTR ANTARCTIC & OCEAN RES
NATL INST OCEAN TECHNOL
NORDECO
UNIV COPENHAGEN
20 Institutions – 2 Publications
85 Institutions – 1 Publication
3
3
3
3
20
85
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
1.50
0.75
3.4 Document-type wise Distribution
During the 10 years period (1998–2007) India has produced a total of 133 publications.
The highest numbers of publications were 91(68.42%) Journal articles, Letters 21(15.79%),
Editorial Materials 18(13.53%).
Table 5. Showing Document-wise Distribution of Research Output
Research
Document Type
Output
%
ARTICLE
91
68.42%
LETTER
21
15.79%
EDITORIAL MATERIAL
18
13.53%
CORRECTION
1
0.75%
NEWS ITEM
1
0.75%
REVIEW
1
0.75%
Total
133
100.00
3.4 Collaborative Country wise Distribution of Research Output
During the 10 years period (1998–2007), India has produced a total of 133 publications.
More than 9(6.77%) Collaboration with USA, 6(4.51%) Collaboration with Japan, 4(3.01%)
collaboration with England and Indonesia. It is well known that nowadays research is carried out
by group of researchers rather than by a single researcher.
Table 6. Showing Collaborative Country wise Distribution
Country/Territory
INDIA
USA
JAPAN
ENGLAND
INDONESIA
CANADA
DENMARK
Research
Output
%
133
100.00%
9
6.77%
6
4.51%
4
3.01%
4
3.01%
3
2.26%
3
2.26%
MALAYSIA
BELGIUM
KENYA
PEOPLES R CHINA
SRI LANKA
AUSTRALIA
CHILE
GHANA
RUSSIA
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
2.26%
1.50%
1.50%
1.50%
1.50%
0.75%
0.75%
0.75%
0.75%
3.5 Subject Category-wise Distribution of Research Output
During 10 years period (1998–2007) India has produced a total of 133 publications have
contributed significantly to the following main domains which have been broadly grouped as:

























Multidisciplinary sciences
Geosciences, multidisciplinary
Oceanography
Remote sensing
Environmental sciences
Imaging science & photographic technology
Geochemistry & geophysics
Infectious diseases
Marine & freshwater biology
Medicine, general & internal
Biochemistry & molecular biology
Engineering, civil
Public, environmental & occupational health
Construction & building technology
Engineering, ocean
Entomology
Geology
Immunology
Microbiology
Parasitology
Pediatrics
Psychiatry
Tropical medicine
Veterinary sciences
Water resources
There were 64(48.12%) publications in ‘Multidisciplinary sciences’ domain followed by
31(23.31%) in ‘Geosciences, multidisciplinary’, 9(6.77%) publications in ‘Oceanography’,
8(6.02%) publications in Remote sensing, 5(3.76%) Publications in Environmental sciences and
Imaging science & photographic technology and others less than 5 in different disciplines and
growth of publications in each domain is given table 7.
Table 7. Showing Subject Category-wise Distribution of Research Output
Subject Category
Multidisciplinary sciences
Geosciences, multidisciplinary
Oceanography
Remote sensing
Environmental sciences
Imaging science & photographic technology
Geochemistry & geophysics
Infectious diseases
Marine & freshwater biology
Medicine, general & internal
Biochemistry & molecular biology
Engineering, civil
Public, environmental & occupational health
Construction & building technology
Engineering, ocean
Entomology
Geology
Immunology
Microbiology
Parasitology
Pediatrics
Psychiatry
Tropical medicine
Veterinary sciences
Water resources
Research
Output
64
31
9
8
5
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
%
48.12
23.31
6.77
6.02
3.76
3.76
3.01
3.01
3.01
2.26
1.50
1.50
1.50
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
3.5 Source-wise Distribution of Research Output
During the 10 years period (1998–2007), India has produced a total of 133 publications in
Tsunami. More than 91(68.42%). Tsunami research was published in journals and the rest was in
others. The highest number of publications was 59(44.36%) in Current Science and 19(14.29%)
followed by International Journal of Remote Sensing, Earth Planets and Space and other journals
having less than 3 publications.
Table 8. Showing Source-wise Distribution of Research Output
Source Title
Record Count
CURRENT SCIENCE
59
JOURNAL OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF INDIA
19
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
5
EARTH PLANETS AND SPACE
3
INDIAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCES
3
PHOTONIRVACHAK-JOURNAL OF THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF
REMOTE SENSING
3
SCIENCE
3
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
2
CURRENT BIOLOGY
2
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
2
GONDWANA RESEARCH
2
LANCET INFECTIOUS DISEASES
2
MARINE GEOLOGY
2
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
1
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF
PSYCHIATRY
1
BMC INFECTIOUS DISEASES
1
BULLETIN OF THE SEISMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
1
COASTAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
1
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
1
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY
1
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
1
EPISODES
1
FEMS IMMUNOLOGY AND MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY
1
GEO-MARINE LETTERS
1
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
1
INDIAN PEDIATRICS
1
JOURNAL OF EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE
1
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
1
JOURNAL OF PERFORMANCE OF CONSTRUCTED
FACILITIES
1
JOURNAL OF POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE
1
LANCET
1
MALARIA JOURNAL
1
MARINE ECOLOGY-AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE
1
MARINE GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCHES
1
NATURE
1
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY
A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING
SCIENCES
1
PLOS MEDICINE
1
PURE AND APPLIED GEOPHYSICS
1
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
1
% of 133
44.36
14.29
3.76
2.26
2.26
2.26
2.26
1.50
1.50
1.50
1.50
1.50
1.50
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
4. CONCLUSION
This paper has highlighted quantitatively the contributions made by the Indian Tsunami
researchers during 1998-2007 as reflected in Web of Science database. During 10 years period
(1998 –2007) Indian contributions in terms of number of publications is not significant. A
comparison of Indian output in relation to the world output (India 133 and International 2053)
may help in understanding the contribution in a better angle. Though the records available in the
Web of Science database reveal a small number, it is important that the Web of Science covers
only the peer-reviewed journals. If a broader coverage database is available, it may provide a
reasonable number of papers. We suggest for tracking citation record of papers so that the impact
of publications in Tsunami may be visible.
REFERENCES:
1.
Bookstein, A. (1977). Patterns of scientific productivity and social change: A discussion of
Lotka’s law and bibliometric symmetry. Journal of the American Society for Information Science,
38, 206–210.
2. Bookstein, A. (2001). Implications of ambiguity for scientometric measurement. Journal of the
American Society for Information Science and Technology, 52, 74–79.
3. Egghe, L., Rousseau, R., & Van Hooydonk, G. (2000). Methods for accrediting publications to
authors or countries: Consequences for evaluation studies. Journal of the American Society for
Information Science, 51, 145–157.
4. Leydesdorff, L. and S.E. Cozzens, (1993), The delineation of specialties in terms of journals using
the dynamic journal set of the SCI, Scientometrics 26, 133-156.
5. Schubert, A. and T. Braun (1990), International collaboration in the sciences, Scientometrics 19,
3-10.
6. T. Braun, W. Glänzel, A. Schubert (1987),One more version of the facts and figures on
publication output and relative citation impact of 107 countries 1978-1980, Scientometrics, 11, 9–
15.
7. T. Braun, W. Glänzel, H. Grupp(1995) The scientometrics weight of 50 nations in 27 science
areas, 1989-1993. Part II Life Sciences, Scientometrics, 34, 207–237.
8. T. N. Van leeuwen, h. F. Moed, r. J. W. Tijssen, m. S. Visser, a. F. J. Van raan, (2001) Language
biases in the coverage of the Science Citation Index and its consequences for international
comparisons of national research performance, Scientometrics, 51, 335–346.
9. V. L. Simeon,B. Momcilovic, Z. Kralj, B. Grgas, Multivariate statistical analysis of the
bibliographic output from a research institution in relation to the measures of scientific policy,
Scientometrics, 9 (1986) 223–230.
10. Rudman, D.J. (1977). Characteristics of the Journal Literature of Finno- Ugric Studies. In
University of Chicago Graduate Library School, Masterof Arts Papers, vol. 26.
11. Van den Daele, W., W. Krohn, P. Weingart, eds., 1976, Geplante Forschung: Vergleichende
Studien iiber den Einfluss politischer Programme auf die Wissenschaftsentwicklung
(Suhrkamp,Frankfurt a.M.).