2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Observational study on cirriform clouds in the tropical upper troposphere
| Project/Area Number |
16340139
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Meteorology/Physical oceanography/Hydrology
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| Research Institution | KYOTO UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
FUKAO Shoichiro Kyoto University, Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Professor, 生存圏研究所, 教授 (30026249)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
YAMAMOTO Masayuki Kyoto University, Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Research Associate, 生存圏研究所, 助手 (90346073)
NISHI Noriyuki Kyoto University, Graduate School of Science, Research Associate, 理学研究科, 助手 (00222183)
OKAMOTO Hajime Tohoku University, Graduate School of Science, Associate Professor, 大学院理学研究科, 助教授 (10333783)
KUMAGAI Hiroshi National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Research Department 3, Director, 第三研究部門電磁波計測研究センター, 研究センター長 (90358979)
OHNO Yuichi National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Research Department 3, Researcher, 第三研究部門電磁波計測研究センター, 主任研究員 (60358984)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2004 – 2006
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| Keywords | cirriform clouds / troposphere / tropics / cumulus convection / remote sensing / millimeter-wave radar / wind profiler / lidar |
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| Research Abstract |
Cirriform clouds (cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus) existing in the upper part of the troposphere consist almost entirely of ice particles, and are known to play a significant role in regulating the radiation balance of the earth-atmosphere system. However, mechanisms which control generation, maintenance, and dissipation of cirriform clouds in the tropics are not well understood due to a scarcity of observations in the region. In this research project, an observation campaign of cirriform clouds using VHF wind profiler to observe vertical wind, W-band Doppler radar to observe falling velocity of ice particles in clouds, lidar to observe small-sized ice particles, weather radar to observe precipitating particles, and radiosonde to observe vertical profiles of temperature and humidity has been carried out at Kototabang, West Sumatra, Indonesia (at latitude 0.2 degrees south and longitude 100.32 degrees east).
From detailed data analysis using data derived from the observation campaign, time-altitude variations of vertical wind in and around tropical cirriform clouds has been shown for the first time. Further, effects of vertical wind on particle falling velocity in cirriform clouds are studied in detail. Using vertical wind data observed by a VHF wind profiler installed at Kototabang (the Equatorial Atmosphere radar), vertical wind changes in the middle and upper troposphere associated with eastward-moving synoptic-scale cumulus activity (Yamamoto et al., in press), fine time-altitude variations of vertical wind in the precipitating stratiform region (Nishi et al., 2007) and vertical motion of cirriform clouds in the middle troposphere (Seto et al., 2006) have been studied and published. This research project has demonstrated that a combination of VHF wind profiler and other instruments to observe inside of cirriform clouds is useful to observe processes related to such clouds.
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Research Products
(6 results)
