Investigation of ice nucleating particles in a frequent occurrence region of Arctic mixed-phase clouds

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16H06020
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Meteorology/Physical oceanography/Hydrology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Polar Research
• Principal Investigator: TOBO Yutaka 国立極地研究所, 研究教育系, 助教 (60572766)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 北極域 / エアロゾル－雲相互作用 / 氷晶核

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Arctic mixed-phase clouds composed of both supercooled liquid droplets and ice crystals occur frequently in the lower troposphere throughout the year and have large impacts on the Arctic weather, climate, and ecosystem. In this work, we have conducted filed measurements of ice nucleating particles (INPs) in Svalbard, which is known as a frequent occurrence region of Arctic mixed-phase clouds. Our measurements at the Zeppelin Observatory in Svalbard revealed that the INP number concentrations in summertime were roughly one order of magnitude higher than those in wintertime. Our results further suggested that the enhanced INP number concentrations in summertime were probably caused by the emission of high-latitude dusts having remarkably high ice nucleating ability from the Svalbard region and/or its surroundings.

Free Research Field

大気環境科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

夏季に北極陸域から発生するダストが、大気中での氷晶核の数濃度の大幅な増加をもたらしていることは、本研究によって初めて明らかなった成果である。今後、温暖化の進行によって積雪の融解や氷河の後退が進むと、北極陸域からのダストの発生量も増えるとも言われている。本研究で得られた成果は、現在、北極域で急速に進行しているとされる温暖化の影響によって、北極域上空でのエアロゾルや混相雲にどのような影響があらわれるのかを評価する上でも、重要な科学的知見となりうる。