August 25, 2017
Keio University
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
Planetary Meteorology Research Center, Kyoto Sangyo University
A research team led by Associate Professor Norihiko Sugimoto of Keio University has successfully developed the world's first data assimilation system for the Venusian atmospheric general circulation by introducing a method for assimilating observational data into an atmospheric general circulation model that simulates Venus's atmospheric flow on a computer.
Venus is entirely covered by a thick layer of clouds, and little is known about the motion within its atmosphere. Although numerical simulations of atmospheric motion using atmospheric general circulation models have been attempted, they have not been able to accurately reproduce the motion of the Venusian atmosphere, and no previous research has utilized observational data in these models. In this study, the team demonstrated the utility of the developed data assimilation system by introducing an observational data assimilation method used for Earth's atmosphere into the Venusian atmospheric general circulation model AFES-Venus and incorporating observational data from past Venus probes. Currently, high-resolution and high-frequency observational data are being obtained by the Venus Climate Orbiter "AKATSUKI." Applying this data assimilation system to these data is expected to lead to revolutionary progress in unraveling the mysteries of Venus.
The results of this research will be published in the online edition of the academic journal Scientific Reports, published by the Nature Publishing Group (NPG) in the UK, on August 24, 2017 (UK time).
Please see below for the full press release.