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Metadata

  • Station or cluster: CryoNet Station
  • Type: Reference
  • Attribute(s): Research
  • WMO ID (if any): 89532
  • Shape: point
  • Latitude, longitude: -69.00, 39.58
  • Altitude and/or range (m): 21.8
  • Landscape: Coastal
  • Year established: 1957
  • Year-round? Yes
  • Operations contact: Osamu Ijima
  • Science contact: Gen Hashida
  • Data contact:
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Syowa
Reference CryoNet Station Information

Syowa Station was established on East Ongul Island, Lutzow- Holm Bay, on January 29 in 1957 by the 1st Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. At present, it also acts as an observation site for world meteorological network in addition to various scientific observations.

Other Networks to Which This CryoNet Station Belongs

Measurement Methods Used

Data Information

Publications

See http://scidbase.nipr.ac.jp/, https://www.data.jma.go.jp/stats/etrn/index.php (in Japanese), and https://bsrn.awi.de/

Measurements

The measurements made at Syowa are listed in the following tables. (Note: If End Year is blank, measurements are ongoing.)

Cryosphere Measurements

Element Variable Start Year End Year Frequency
SnowDepth1999Continuous
IcesheetSurface mass balance1992Fragmented
IcesheetSurface velocity1992Fragmented

Atmosphere Measurements

Element Variable Start Year End Year Frequency
MetAir temperature1957Continuous
MetHumidity/vapour pressure1957Continuous
MetWind speed and direction1957Continuous
MetAir pressure1957Continuous
RadiationDownwelling shortwave1961Continuous
RadiationUpwelling shortwave1998Continuous
RadiationDownwelling longwave1991Continuous
RadiationUpwelling longwave1998Continuous

Measurement Notes and Other Measurements

Category Description or List
SnowSnow depth has been observed continuously using ultrasonic snow gauge (before 2016) and laser snow gauge (since 2016) since 1999. Snow depth on sea ice is also observed by using snow scale.
AtmosphereMeteorological observation at Syowa station started in February 1957 and has been made continuously by dispatched staff from the Japan Meteorological Agency (except for 1958 and 1962-1966). Archived observation data has been widely used for studies and monitoring of global environment through international frameworks.

In terms of radiation observations, downwelling shortwave radiation, downwelling longwave radiation, and upwelling shortwave and longwave radiation have been observed since 1961, 1991 and 1998 respectively. Syowa was registered as a Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) in the framework of World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) in 1994.


Last updated: 14 November 2023