Weather Characteristics at Observatory Candidate Sites in West Tibet

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23540275
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Astronomy
• Research Institution: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
• Principal Investigator: SASAKI Toshiyuki 国立天文台, 光赤外研究部, 准教授 (80178657)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YOSHIDA Michitoshi 広島大学, 宇宙科学センター, 教授 (90270446) ; SEKIGUCHI Kazuhiro 国立天文台, 光赤外研究部, 教授 (20280563) ; OHSHIMA Norio 国立天文台, 天文情報センター, 研究技師 (80223808) ; MIKAMI Yoshitaka 国立天文台, 先端技術センター, 研究技師 (70165984)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 光赤外線望遠鏡 / サイト調査 / チベット西部域 / 大学間連携 / 国際協力

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The high plateaus in west Tibet may provide promising sites for a part of global astronomical observation network. We have been conducting to search for good sites to monitor at Gar (Tibet) since 2010 after previous monitoring at Karasu (Xinjiang Uighur) and Oma (Tibet). Weather characteristics at Gar shows its high clear-sky ratios, comparable to Mauna Kea. A wind problem at Gar has been revealed in winter that higher wind speeds over 20m/sec occur frequently even though sky is clear.
To find more calm site both with high clear-sky ratios and mild wind speed, we have searched for another site, ZoZo Hill, near Gar. To clarify their weather characteristics, we have conducted numerical simulations at Gar and ZoZo Hill using Japan Meteorological Agency Non-Hydrostatic Model. ZoZo Hill shows nearly half wind speed than at Gar.
We hopefully should continue to monitor Gar site to clarify weather characteristics through a whole year and start site monitoring at ZoZo Hill in near future.

Free Research Field

天文学