A study on earth climate change based on fine observations of the Antarctic atmosphere

Kaoru Sato* and Masaki Tsutsumi, Toru Sato, Takuji Nakamura, Akinori Saito, Yoshihiro Tomikawa, Koji Nishimura, Masashi Kohma, Takanori Nishiyama, Mitsumu K. Ejiri, Makoto Abo, Takuya Kawahara, Akira Mizuno, Tomoo Nagahama, Hidehiko Suzuki
Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo

Recent studies using high-resolution general circulation models and high-resolution satellite observations indicate that the gravity wave activity is maximized in winter high latitudes and minimized in summer high latitudes. These features are not expressed in the current gravity wave parameterizations. Thus, the understanding of the gravity wave characteristics in high latitudes is essential to improve the climate model. In particular, observational studies for quantitative estimates of the momentum flux associated with gravity waves in high latitudes are needed. The PANSY radar installed at Syowa Station during the JARE VIII period is the only instrument that enables to estimate the momentum fluxes associated with the gravity waves in the troposphere, stratosphere and mesosphere of the Antarctic. The PANSY program was planned in 2000. After feasibility studies during the JARE VII period, the radar was installed by Japanese economic stimulus package in the fiscal year of 2009. Continuous observations with a limited system started in April 2012 and observations by the full system were successfully performed in March 2015, by overcoming various serious problems such as heavy snowfall and limited transport to Syowa Station. In addition, various radio and optical observation instruments which provide complementary data to the PANSY observations are operated or being installed. This project is to promote the integration of various radio and optical observations with the PANSY radar as the main instrument, and the global network observation including MST/IS radars under the international collaborations. Combining these observation data over the globe with the high-resolution model simulations, we will deepen our knowledge and improve understanding of the general circulation from the troposphere to the lower thermosphere of the earth atmosphere. This project was accepted as one of the intensive research observations for the JARE IX period, which assures continuous observations at Syowa Station over six years from 2016-2022.


*email: kaoru@eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp
*Preference: Invited