Special "Environment Month" event: A visit to the Japan's oldest high-rise meteorological observatory and the Meteorological Research Institute, which have been engaged in high-rise atmospheric observation for a long time, was a great success!

　On Wednesday, June 21, 2023, the Center for Environmental Studies of Hosei University held an eco-tour to the High-Rise Weather Observatory and the Meteorological Research Institute as a special event for "Environment Month" in June 2023.
　On Monday, May 8, 2023, the status of new coronavirus infection was changed to "Class 5" under the Infectious Disease Control Law, and measures against infectious diseases were greatly eased, bringing the campus back to life once again.
　The first stop on our "eco-tour" was the High Level Weather Observatory, which is the oldest observatory in Japan and has been observing the upper atmosphere for more than 100 years. The data is used as basic information for weather forecasting, research, monitoring, and evaluation of global environmental and climate change, and supports the foundation of disaster prevention weather information to protect the lives and property of the people.
　At the High-Rise Weather Observatory, Mr. Toshihiro Abo, Technical Specialist, Observation Division I, who served as the 62nd Antarctic Research Expedition Leader, talked about the history and major observation results, including the world's first discovery of the jet stream, and how the observatory is a reference point for the Antarctic region and international observation networks. The first discovery of the jet stream in the world and other historical and major observation results. Then, Mr. Kyori Yamazaki, Research Officer, Observation Section 1, explained about ground meteorological observation and balloon-based upper atmosphere observation, and Mr. Itaru Kamisato, Chief Researcher, Observation Section 2, explained about ozone observation, wavelength-specific UV observation, and solar radiation observation, using actual measuring instruments.
　The ozone sonde observation, which was scheduled to take in outside air while ascending through the atmosphere to observe the vertical distribution of ozone in the air up to an altitude of about 35 km, temperature, humidity, wind direction, and wind speed, was not conducted due to poor wind and weather conditions in the sky, but it was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from those actually engaged in the observations at the site. However, it was a valuable opportunity for us to hear directly from the people who are actually involved in the observation.

　After the visit to the high-rise meteorological observatory, the group visited the Meteorological Research Institute, which is located on the same site and promotes research to improve various types of information on weather, earthquakes, volcanoes, climate, and so on. Upon arrival, Mr. Teishin Koji, Research Evaluation Officer, Planning Office, gave a special lecture on the history, role, and mid-term research plan of the institute, as well as its research system and intensive observations as part of its development and research efforts to improve the forecast accuracy of linear precipitation zones.
　In particular, a linear precipitation zone is a rainfall area with strong precipitation that extends in a linear fashion, created when developing rain clouds form a line and organize into a group of cumulonimbus clouds, which pass or remain in the same place for several hours. In recent years, linear precipitation zones have caused a number of serious disasters, but the mechanism of their occurrence remains largely unknown, and the institute is playing a central role in intensive observations to elucidate the mechanism.
　Next, Dr. Tadashi Koji, Director of Research and Evaluation at the Meteorological Research Institute, gave an overview of the institute's research and development using supercomputers, including the meteorological observation equipment installed on the roof and in the open field, and analysis and prediction technologies in the fields of global warming prediction and earthquake, tsunami, and volcanoes, especially for this "eco-tour full of special attention. Mr. Sadayoshi Koji, Director of the Research and Evaluation Division, gave an overview of research and development using supercomputers, including meteorological instruments, global warming prediction, and analysis and prediction technologies in the field of earthquake, tsunami, and volcanoes.
　Finally, Dr. Hideaki Kawai, Senior Researcher of the same institute, gave a presentation on "Why is there such a large variation in the prediction of global temperature rise? The tour concluded with a lecture by Dr. Hideaki Kawai, Chief Researcher of the same institute, on the various phenomena covered by the Earth System Model under the theme of "Why there are large variations in the prediction of global temperature rise? Thanks to the courtesy of Chief Researcher Kawai, we are planning to introduce the day's activities at the "24th Environmental Exhibition" scheduled to be held this fall. For those of you who were not able to participate in the "eco-tour" this time, please look forward to it until this fall.
　In the "Eco-tour full of specialties," you will visit the High-rise Weather Observatory and the Meteorological Research Institute, where you will hear from researchers who are active at the forefront of research on the global environment and climate change, including accurate weather forecasts and the monitoring and assessment of climate change, such as global warming. The "eco-tour" planned and organized by the Environment Center was a great success.
　Hosei University Environmental Center will continue to explore the mysteries of global environmental issues with an awareness of the connection between each "action" and "nature.