Geoscience

New Platform on Plateau for Micro-observation

Aglacier micro-climate and material balance observation station has been established by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, CAS at No. 4 Glacier of Parlung Zangbo area, which is elevated 4,800 meters for observation and study of the interaction between maritime glacier and atmosphere. Observations to be made here include basic meteorological elements, air turbulence flux, energy balance, elevation change of ice and snow surfaces, hydrologic monitoring and physical properties of ice surfaces. As a first long-term operating micro-climate observation station on glacier in China, this observation station is not only beneficial to understanding the turbulence characteristics of stable atmospheric boundary layer, but also provides a new platform for exploring the energy balance from the perspective of atmospheric physics and research on glacier change.

Prediction Mode Established for Oceanographic Process

Recently, the “prediction mode for meso-scale physical oceanographic process at key ocean areas and research on key technology”, a key project of the CAS Innovation Program sponsored by the Institute of Oceanology, CAS and jointly implemented by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, the Institute of Acoustics, Institute of Atmospheric Physics and the Institute of Geographic and Natural Resources, successfully accomplished the second voyage for oceanographic survey. Thus, two survey voyages for this key project have been successfully completed. The main missions of the second voyage for oceanographic survey were undertaken by the ocean research vessel “Science No. 1”, while the ocean research vessel “Experiment No. 1” participated in the joint oceanographic and acoustic observation and experiments. Departing from Qingdao on Jun. 8, the ocean research vessel “Science No. 1” navigated on the ocean for 29 days, during which it experienced two tropical cyclones. Finally, it successfully accomplished all scientific survey missions of this voyage. The in-situ survey under the key project of the CAS Innovation Program made breakthroughs in many areas, including the first joint oceanographic and acoustic observation and experiments (the experimental platforms include ocean research vessels “Science No. 1” and “Experiment No. 1” and buoy array), successful deployment and retrieval of three sets of submerged buoys, obtaining continuous observation data of nearly one year from submerged buoys and first application of ship-borne X band radar in the observation of internal wave of ocean. Moreover, the second voyage also accomplished hydro-meteorological observation of 8 profiles, nearly 60 sampling stations and 1 continuous station and whole-course vessel-mounted ADCP observation, released nearly 80 GPS sounding balloons and deployed 2 Argos surface floating buoys.