Meteorological observations at Syowa Station and at Dome Fuji Station in 1996 by the 37th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition

Abstract

This paper describes the results of meteorological observations at Syowa Station from February 1,1996 to January 31,1997,and at Dome Fuji Station from January 23,1996 to January 24,1997 carried out by the Meteorological Observation Team of the 37th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-37). The method of observations, instruments, and statistical methods used by JARE-37 were almost the same as those used by the JARE-36 observation team. Remarkable weather phenomena observed during the period of JARE-37 were the following : 1) From July to October 1996,surface temperature at Syowa Station was higher than the average between 1961 and 1990. Especially, the monthly mean temperature anomaly in September was 6.1℃. Monthly mean temperatures in September and October set the records for the highest temperature in each month. 2) A heavy snowstorm hit Syowa Station from May 26th to 28th. On May 27th, the maximum wind speed was recorded at 44.3m/s (the third highest on record), and the maximum peak gust was recorded at 61.2m/s (the strongest ever). 3) At Syowa Station, the large scale Antarctic ozone hole was observed for the eighth straight year, and the monthly mean total ozone amounts in October and November were recorded as the lowest in observation history. Especially, 156m atm-cm in October was the lowest in the historical record at Syowa Station. 4) During the JARE-37,winter observations were conducted at Dome Fuji Station, the second time ever at this site, as during JARE-36. Yearly mean temperature in 1996 at Dome Fuji Station was -54.4℃; the lowest temperature was -79.7℃ observed on May 14th.