R/V Mirai Cruise MR13-06 leg1

On the basis of our previous observations and theoretical considerations, we have come to realize that the Arctic Ocean plays an important role in global climate changes.
The objectives of this cruise are as follows:
a. To quantify on-going changes in ocean, atmosphere, and ecosystem, which are related to the recent Arctic warming and sea-ice reduction.,
b. To clarify important processes and interactions among atmosphere, ocean, and ecosystem behindchanges of the Arctic Ocean.,
c. To collect data for understanding the effects of the Arctic Ocean changes on global climate.,
In this research cruise, we conducted:
a. Fixed point observations with radiozonde, Doppler radar, general meteorological equipments, CTD (Conductivity, temperature, and depth sensors), XCTD (expendable CTD), seawater samplers, current profilers, turbulence ocean microstructure acquisition profiler, plankton nets, optical instruments, sea surface monitoring system, drifting buoys, and so on., b. Wide-area observations with the metrological and oceanographic equipments described above., c. Mooring observations to measure annual changes in seawater temperature, salinity, currents, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, zooplankton (by acoustics), marine mammal (by acoustics), and sediments (by sediment traps)., d. Continuous observations of sea bottom topography, gravity, and magnetic fields along the cruise track, in addition to the continuous meteorological and oceanographic observations by general meteorological equipments and sea surface monitoring system, respectively.