DATE2024.12.25 #Press Releases

Successful simultaneous observation of near-inertial frequency gravity waves by super-pressure balloon and PANSY radar

Summary

A research group led by Associate Professor Yoshihiro Tomikawa of the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) has successfully detected near-inertial frequency gravity waves at an altitude of around 18 km by simultaneous observations with a super-pressure balloon and the PANSY radar, a large atmospheric radar at Syowa Station in the Antarctic region. Comparison with atmospheric reanalysis data revealed that even the latest numerical prediction models cannot adequately represent gravity waves. Continued observation of gravity waves over Antarctica is expected to improve the accuracy of long-term prediction of climate chage.

Professor Kaoru Sato and Assistant Professor Masashi Kohma of the Department of Earth and Planetary Science participated in this research achievement.

Figure: Super-pressure balloon release at Syowa Station in the Antarctic (January-February 2022)

Related links: National Institute of Polar Research, Tohoku University

Journal

Journal name	Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan. Ser. II
Title of paper	Simultaneous Observation of Near-Inertial Frequency Gravity Waves by a Long-Duration Balloon and the PANSY Radar in the Antarctic