[A-OS29] Ocean Research Planning for UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Developments (2021-2030)

[AOS29-05] Contribution to WESTPAC through Cooperative International Observation Project of the Kuroshio and Adjacent Region: Plan for CSK-2 Project

*Akira Nagano¹, Masami Nonaka¹, Hiroaki Saito², Taketoshi Kodama³, Kentaro Ando¹ (1.Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2.Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 3.Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency)

Keywords:Kuroshio, Observation System, International project, CSK-2, WESTPAC

Knowledge on the Kuroshio and the adjacent regions has been developed by cooperative international observation projects. In particular, on the basis of data obtained by the Cooperative Study of the Kuroshio and Adjacent Regions (CKS), which was planned by UNESCO/IOC, led by Japan, and implemented by Asian countries, the mean circulation features of the Kuroshio and the adjacent current systems were mostly established. IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) was founded based on the CSK. Since then, through domestic and international projects, knowledge on the Kuroshio has been accumulated. Recently, issues of global warming, ecosystem change, marine debris, and so on gather social attention; in particular, in the Kuroshio region, where the warming is rapid and the plastic debris concentration is high in comparison with other regions, the construction of observation systems to monitor the changes of the ocean conditions is an urgent task. The construction of such an observation system can contribute to the achievement of “Sustainable Development Goals” and activity for “UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).” To seek the optimal observation design for the monitoring the Kuroshio, we are planning a successor project of the CSK, called CSK-2. We introduce recent activities for CSK-2 and discuss future tasks.