Summary

Description

In 1999, JAMSTEC and MetOcean Data System Ltd. developed a new drifting buoy, named J-CAD (JAMSTEC Compact Arctic Drifter), to conduct long-term observations in the Arctic multi-year ice zones (Hatakeyama and Monk, 2001). The J-CAD is a state-of-the-art compact and inexpensive drifting buoy, designed and developed using the latest technologies, and incorporated the vast amount of engineering knowledge and experience gained from the IOEB program. Since 2000, JAMSTEC has been conducting operations of the J-CADs in order to measure the structure of upper-ocean currents and water properties under the multi-year ice of the Arctic Ocean for a better understanding the role of the Arctic Ocean for the global climate. As of now, JAMSTEC has installed five J-CADs into the sea-ice of the Arctic Ocean and has been collecting recent oceanographical and meteorological data. The J-CAD system has three types of sensors: meteorological, oceanographic, and buoy status sensors. The four meteorological parameters measured are air temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed and direction. For oceanographic observations, the J-CAD can be equipped with four CT sensors (SBE37IM), two CT sensors with a pressure sensor (SBE37IM), and two ADCPs (WH-ADCP 300 kHz). The buoy monitor sensors comprise a compass with a tile sensor, GPS, and thermistor to measure the temperature of water surrounding the J-CAD hull. Three buoys, the J-CAD 1, 3, and 4 were deployed near the North Pole in April 2000, 2001, and 2002, respectively, in collaboration with the NPEO (North Pole Environmental Observatory) Project supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Data transmission from the J-CAD 1 and 3 has already ceased. The J-CAD 4 is currently conducting observations in the Eastern Arctic Ocean. Next April, we are scheduled to deploy the J-CAD 6 near the North Pole. The J-CAD 2 and 5 were deployed in the Beaufort Sea from the Canadian Icebreaker in September 2000, and August 2002, respectively. The operation of the J-CAD 5 has been carried out under the Canada-Japan joint project, JWACS (Joint Western Arctic Climate Studies).