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Climate Prediction

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Weather and Climate Prediction
and Its Technological Improvement
Weather and Climate Prediction and Its Technological Improvement

Principal Investigator Hiroyasu Hasumi
Principal Investigator:Hiroyasu Hasumi (The University of Tokyo)

Overview

The Arctic environment is changing rapidly as climate warming progresses, affecting regions outside the Arctic in a variety of ways. There is a growing need for precise weather and climate prediction in order to develop adaptation measures both within and outside the Arctic region, as well as to utilize and develop the Arctic region.

In order to respond to this need, this research program will focus on the following four objectives.

  1. We will focus on several climate processes unique to the Arctic region, and work to refi ne our climate models by contrasting them with the latest observation knowledge and utilizing Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) and high-resolution regional modelling.
  2. We will work to refine climate prediction by constructing new data sets regarding climate variables in the Arctic region and developing data assimilation methods to enable these data sets to be utilized in the initialization of climate models.
  3. We will investigate the possibility of drastic long-term changes in the cryosphere and by extension the Arctic environment by utilizing regional climate modelling and other means to express snow and ice-related processes in greater detail.
  4. We will work to improve prediction precision of waves and sea ice distribution in marginal ice zones and coastal regions in order to ensure safe and efficient utilization of Arctic sea routes and protect the living environment of indigenous residents of Arctic coastal regions.

During research implementation, we will establish the sub-program Arctic Climate Process Modeling toward Objective 1, the sub-program Improvement of Climate Prediction toward Objectives 2 and 3, and the subprogram Towards a Coupled Wave-Ice Prediction toward Objective 4.

Results of warm water inflow simulation from Atlantic Ocean to Arctic Ocean (below), and the associated change in atmospheric pressure (above)
Results of warm water inflow simulation from Atlantic Ocean to Arctic Ocean (below), and the associated change in atmospheric pressure (above)
Figure: Takao Kawasaki (The University of Tokyo)