Activities of the summer party of the 44th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition, Marine Science Cruise 2003

Abstract

The summer activities of the 44th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-44) in 2002-2003 on board the Antarctic research vessel Shirase and at and around Syowa Station, Antarctica are reported. JARE-44 members on board the Shirase included forty members of the wintering party and seventeen members of the summer party. The summer party and wintering party were accompanied by six other persons (five journalists and one geologist) and four other persons (journalists), respectively. The Shirase left Tokyo on 14 November 2002 and arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on 28 November. JARE-44 left Tokyo on 28 November by airplane, and boarded the Shirase at Fremantle on 29 November. The ship reached the pack ice edge near Lutzow-Holm Bay on 15 December and anchored at Syowa Station on 26 December. The unloading of 1225 tons of cargo by helicopters and surface vehicles was completed by 17 January 2003. Then the ship loaded 162 tons of waste from Syowa Station between 3 January and 10 February. After the completion of construction and field work in the Syowa Station area, the JARE-44 summer party and JARE-43 wintering party on board the Shirase left Syowa Station on 15 February. The members of the summer party and JARE-43 wintering party returned to Narita via Sydney on 29 March. The Shirase returned to Tokyo on 13 April. The following scientific activities were carried out during summer operations of JARE-44: a) geological and geodetic surveys, biological, glaciological, geophysical, oceanographic and geomagnetic observations along the Soya Kaigan and Kronprins Olav Kyst, b) geophysical observations of the aurora australis using a Polar Patrol Balloon at Syowa Station, c) topographical survey of the seabed at north waters near area of Amundsen Bay on board the Shirase, d) meteorological, marine biological, oceanographic, atmospheric and geomagnetic observations and gravity measurements on board the Shirase.