Development of Wave-Argo-Typhoon and worldwide deployment

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20437
• Project/Area Number (Other): 19H05512 (2019)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2020); Single-year Grants (2019)
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 24:Aerospace engineering, marine and maritime engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Waseda Takuji 東京大学, 大学院新領域創成科学研究科, 教授 (30376488)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小平 翼 東京大学, 大学院新領域創成科学研究科, 講師 (60795459)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 自律昇降型海洋観測 / 波浪・海洋結合観測 / IoT観測機器 / 防災 / Argo / eXpendable Wave Gauge

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To improve the typhoon tracks and intensities prediction, we have initiated a project to develop an instrument that simultaneously observes ocean surface waves and vertical temperature profiles of seawater. Our initial plan was to add a wave gauge to an established ocean profiling float Argo. However, it turned out that adding functionality to the system was difficult. Meanwhile, the microcontrollers and sensor technologies rapidly advanced, which allowed us to lower the cost and improve the performance of a wave gauge. Consequently, we abandoned our original research plan of utilizing Argo and developed the wave gauge and float. Through multiple opportunities for field observations, we have successfully improved the wave gauge and achieved our original goal.

Free Research Field

Ocean Information

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、温暖化に伴うと考えられる極端現象が頻発しており、防災の観点から、台風の進路に加え、より不確実性の高い強度の推定と予報が求められている。台風の発達(強度の推定) には海表面温度と海洋上層の貯熱量、そして、大気海洋間の運動量・熱の輸送が重要である。海表面温度は衛星観測による高頻度観測が可能な一方で、海洋上層の貯熱量については、水温の鉛直分布を計測する必要がある。また、大気海洋間の運動量・熱フラックスには風速に加えて海面の幾何形状すなわち波浪場が重要と考えられる。そこで、本研究では台風等の強風下における波浪と海水温の同時計測を行う機器の開発に取り組んだ。