2022/09/02
Keio University
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Kyoto Sangyo University
Okayama University
Kobe University
A research team, including Researcher Yukiko Fujisawa from the Research and Education Center for Natural Sciences and Professor Norihiko Sugimoto from the Faculty of Law at Keio University, has successfully created the world's first objective analysis data (meteorological dataset) for the Venusian atmosphere. This was achieved by adding observational data from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Venus Climate Orbiter "Akatsuki" to a data assimilation system.
Venus is entirely covered by a thick layer of clouds, and little is known about the atmospheric motion within. Furthermore, while numerical simulations of atmospheric motion using atmospheric general circulation models have been attempted, they have not been able to accurately reproduce the dynamics of the Venusian atmosphere. In this study, the team introduced a data assimilation method—used in terrestrial weather forecasting and meteorological research—into a Venusian atmospheric general circulation model. They then incorporated high-resolution, high-frequency observational data of horizontal wind speeds obtained by the Venus Climate Orbiter "Akatsuki" into the model, successfully creating global objective analysis data for the Venusian atmosphere, including wind speed, temperature, and pressure fields. It is expected that analyzing this objective analysis data from various perspectives will lead to revolutionary progress in unraveling the mysteries of Venusian weather.
This was a joint research project with Senior Researcher Shin-ya Murakami of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Professor Masahiro Takagi of Kyoto Sangyo University, Professor George Hashimoto of Okayama University, and Lecturer Hiroki Kashimura and Professor Yoshi-Yuki Hayashi of Kobe University.
The results of this research were published in the online edition of the academic journal Scientific Reports, from the UK's Nature Publishing Group (NPG), on August 26, 2022 (UK time).
For the full press release, please see below.