Habitable Japan Sustainability of atmospheric and oceanic environment as a survival basis of island country Japan Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A) (2024–2028)

The altitude profile of atmospheric pressure is a physical quantity that determines the instability of the atmosphere, and is important for predicting cumulonimbus clouds that cause heavy rain, gusts, lightning, linear precipitation bands, and heavy snow. However, the altitude profile is mainly observed by radiosondes, which make it difficult to observe at high frequency and density on a regular basis, and short-term and localized fluctuations cannot be captured. Therefore, this project will demonstrate a new technology for remote sensing of upper atmospheric pressure from the ground by utilizing muons, a secondary cosmic ray attenuating in the atmosphere. In addition to muon observations at radiosonde observation points, we will also conduct offshore observations to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the remote sensing technique using muons. Furthermore, with the collaborative researchers and researchers of meteorological models, we will contribute to elucidating the mechanisms of heavy rain and heavy snow by using the high-density and high-frequency atmospheric pressure profiles that will be obtained in this project.