National Institute of Polar Research

Arctic observation reinforced by the start of a new observation project

Research activity around Ny-Ålesund research station focuses on aurora, clouds, aerosol, radiation, greenhouse gases, vegetation and soil micro biology. Studies on the atmospheric circulation related to sea ice change in the Arctic, and the optimaization of Arctic atmospheric data assimilation are also strengthened.

Ice cores were obtained from the Greenland Ice Sheet and anlyzed in hopes to reveal past Arctic and global environmental changes.

Upper atmosphere studies in the mesosphere, thermosphere, and ionosphere are carried out. AERC has joined international observation activities using the European non-interference scattering (EISCAT) radar. Atmospheric and aurora observation facilities formed bases for upper atmosphere observations in Svalbard and Northern Scandinavia.

Simultaneous observation of auroral phenomena has been carried out at an observation facility in Iceland in conjunction with observation at Syowa Station, Antarctica.

In the North Atlantic and around Greenland, atmospheric gas fluxes and marine ecosystems have been investigated. Further marine ecosystem observation is expanding to the Pacific sector, Arctic Ocean, Chukchi Sea and Bering Sea.

A new initiative in Arctic Climate Change Research Project “Rapid Change of the Arctic Climate System and its Global Influences” has begun as a new framework of the Green Network of Excellence (GRENE) by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan (MEXT). The Arctic research is carried out by long-term monitoring and new shift for observation of rapid change of Arctic environment.

Arctic Sea Ice