Foreword
The Fourth Assessment Report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in2007 states that most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very
likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic Green House Gas (GHG) concentrations. The drastic increasein the concentration of GHGs, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), caused directly and indirectly by humanactivities, is attributed to the fact that the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere in the process of the massconsumption of fossil fuel, deforestation, etc., significantly surpasses the absorption by the land ecosystem and theoceans. Thus, it is imperative to balance the emission due to human activities and the absorption by the nature, inorder to stabilize the climate for the future. In the meantime, however, we, humans, have not grasped, to a
sufficient level, the mechanisms of the absorption by land ecosystem and ocean, and the climatological feedbackin the carbon cycle involving atmosphere, land ecosystem and ocean. This lack of understanding comprises a
substantial part of the uncertainty in predicting future climate change.

The clarification of these problems involves not only an ascertainment of the spatial and temporalvariations in the CO2 emission from human activities but also a calculation of the spatial distribution and temporalvariation of CO2 and also methane (CH4), which is the second largest contributor to global warming after CO2,
and the spatial distribution and temporal variation of the source and sink in land ecosystem and oceans, based onearth observation, and ultimately an attainment of adequate scientific knowledge on the underlying mechanisms.
These efforts to observe GHG concentrations and to analyze the causes of their variations at some locations are,though still limited, in progress. On top of these attempts, it is vital to observe the distributions of CO2, CH4, andother GHG concentrations, which fluctuate both spatially and temporally, on the global scale, using satellite
platforms, in a continuous and systematic manner, and to elucidate the current issues, with a goal to elevate thereliability of prediction of future climate change and climate system models effective for assessing theconsequences of climate change.

Aiming for fulfilling the above requirements, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), theNational Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) (hereinafterreferred to as the “Three Parties” collectively) is jointly promoting the GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observing
SATellite) Project. The Three Parties have revised the application method of the research announcement(hereinafter referred to as the “RA”) made in the past with a view to promote the further use of the GOSAT dataand shall start inviting research proposals at anytime from August 2012.
The spacecraft “GOSAT” (IBUKI) was successfully launched on January 23, 2009 and more than three
years have passed since GOSAT started its on-orbit operation. In the GOSAT Project, the RA was made for threetimes, and consequently, numerous research outcomes were achieved by both domestic and abroad RA researchers
while high-quality GOSAT data were accumulated. From now on, with the objectives of improving convenience
for the RA candidates and enhancing variability and possibility of research outcomes, such as creative researchoutcomes from a new point of view are accomplished through the use of GOSAT data by wider range ofresearchers around the world, the Three Parties shall start inviting applications and research proposals anytime
from August 2012. The details of this RA are provided in the following RA documents. Note that the RA Office is
set up inside NIES as was in the past.

RA Document

GOSAT Research Announcement (main text)
Appendix A

Outlines of GOSAT and TANSO Sensor

Appendix B

GOSAT/TANSO Calibration and Validation Plan and Overview of Processing
Algorithms

Appendix C

Operation Policies of GOSAT and Basic Observation Plan of the TANSO Sensor

Appendix D

Contents of Research Proposal and Application Forms

Appendix E

General Contractual Conditions for the Joint Research on the GOSAT data

Appendix F

User Category, Glossary and Abbreviation List

Schedule for the 4th RA is shown hereunder as an example of such RA that the Three Parties invite research
proposals anytime without setting up the deadline.

Release of the RA

August 31, 2012

Period for research proposal acceptance (The 4th RA)

August 31~ October 26, 2012*

Period for research proposal review (The 4th RA)

August 31~ November 11, 2012

Date of the selection board (The 4th RA)

November 16, 2012

Notification of the selection results

November 30, 2012Sign up of the agreement

December 3, 2012 or later

Submission of interim reports (The 4th RA)

December 28, 2013

*Applications and research proposals will be accepted even after October 26, 2012. Schedules of acceptance andselection for following RAs will be posted on the NIES GOSAT Project webpage in an appropriate timing.

For more information, please contact:

GOSAT Project Office
Center for Global Environmental Research
National Institute for Environmental Studies
16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki
305-8506 JapanWeb page: http://www.gosat.nies.go.jp/eng/proposal/proposal.htm
TEL: +81-29-850-2035 FAX: +81-29-850-2219

E-mail: gosat-prj1@nies.go.jp
Acceptance time: Weekday (excluding Japanese national holidays) 10:00-17:00

August, 2012
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
National Institute for Environment Studies (NIES)
Ministry of the Environment (MOE)