Project Outline

Equatorial Fountain
Leader : Mamoru Yamamoto

Cumulonimbus convection is active in the equatorial atmosphere, which generates atmospheric waves that propagate upward to transport energy and momentum in the upper atmosphere. Materials originating from low-to-mid-latitude regions also converge in the equatorial region, are blown upward, and spread across the globe. We call this process the “Equatorial Atmosphere Radar in Indonesia and other instruments, and by modeling and simulation. This project also promotes plans for the Equatorial MU Radar.

Outcome from the project

Masterplan 2017 “Coupling processes in the solar-terrestrial system”

The study of the equatorial fountain is conducted under the Masterplan 2017 “Coupling processes in the solar-terrestrial system”, which is approved as one of 28 high-priority projects in Masterplan 2017 by the Science Council of Japan.

Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR)

EAR is a large Doppler radar with the 2-dimensional active phased-array at Kototabang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. EAR is operated under close collaboration with the National institute of Aeronautics and Space of Indonesia (LAPAN). We continue long-term continuous observations of the equatorial atmosphere since its inauguration in 2001.

2017 Medal with Purple Ribbon Awarded

Prof. Toshitaka Tsuda was awarded Medal with Purple Ribbon by the Government of Japan on November 3, 2017 to the achievements in the research field of atmospheric physics. He has developed various atmospheric measurement devices (radar, RASS, liders, etc.) using radio waves and light, and conducted pioneering field observations in domestic and oversea areas including Indonesia. He has made remarkable achievements in the clarification of driving of the atmospheric general circulation due to atmospheric waves, and the clarification of the global distribution of atmospheric gravity waves and ionospheric disturbances based on the GPS radio occultation data.