Meteorological observations at Syowa Station in 2013 by the 54th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition

Abstract

This report presents meteorological observations obtained by the Meteoro- logical Observation Team of the 54th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-54) at Syowa Station, Antarctica, during February 2013-January 2014. The observation meth- ods, instruments and statistical methods used by JARE-54 were almost the same as those used by JARE-53, except for the new observation at S17. Remarkable features during the period of JARE-54 are as follows. 1) In March and April 2013, more blizzards than normal were observed and snow accu- mulation increased, therefore the maximum snow depth of the month updated the record ranking second place and first place, respectively. Also, for the sixth month in a row from August, the maximum snow depth of the month updated the record ranking first place because the blizzards were observed more often than normal during the period of JARE-54. 2) The amount of the total ozone over Syowa Station was considerably below 220 m atm-cm, which is a measure of the ozone hole from late September; however, it was frequently above the measure from September 28th onward to the middle of October, and recovered at the beginning of November. 3) A new radio-robot telemeteorograph was installed at S17 base near Syowa Station and brought into operations in January 2013. We got data from this telemeteorograph more steadily than from an old one at point S16.

Keywords

• meteorological observations
• syowa station
• jare-54