[M-IS05] Global climate change driven by the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic Ice Sheet

[MIS05-P04] Development of Research Instruments for unexplored frontiers in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica

*Yoshifumi Nogi¹, Shigeru Aoki², Hiroshi Yoshida³, Toshihiro Maki⁴, Kyoko Okino⁵, Yuichi Aoyama¹, Tetsuo Sueyoshi¹, Takeshi Tamura¹, Hirokazu Yamagata⁴, Masakazu Fujii¹ (1.National Institute of Polar Research, 2.Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, 3.Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 4.Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo, 5.Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, the University of Tokyo)

Keywords:Southern Ocean, Antarctic ice sheet, unmanned research instrument, sea ice

The Antarctic ice sheet holds 90% of ice, equivalent to approximately 70 m height of sea level. On the other hand, the Southern Ocean produces the densest seawater, called the Antarctic bottom water, which drives ocean circulation. The Antarctic ice sheet and the Southern Ocean are the most significant components that control global climate and sea level changes. However, the field observation data around ice shelf and sea ice areas is very poor because of the observation difficulties. The acquisition of the field observation data in the unexplored frontiers such as under ice shelf is vital to understand the interactions between the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic ice sheet.

Unmanned research instruments and vehicles, especially underwater robots, namely ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) and AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), are required to acquire the field observation data in the unexplored area. The AUV is developing to obtain the oceanographical data in the border region between the ocean and the ice sheet. The ROV to assist the AUV operation and the acquisition of the oceanographic data is also customizing. The application of unmanned research vehicles and instruments is extended to the outcrops and ice sheet area in Antarctica. The present status of the observation instruments' development in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica is introduced, and the future application is also discussed.