Foreword

Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center

Prof. Hiroshi UYEDA, Director
Research into understanding the global water cycle must move forward. Many problems need to be solvedin order to understand and properly forecast heavy rainfalls, heavy snowfalls, flooding, and droughts. Humanbeings depend on water to survive on the Earth. Water exists on Earth in three phases, solid, liquid and gas,
which makes the Earth very special. However our growing understanding of the relationship between the rapidchanges of human activity and climate change has made it clear that human survival is not guaranteed without
harmonic coexistence with nature on the Earth. Reliable knowledge regarding the global water cycle isrequired. It is therefore essential to promote observations of the nature of the water cycle over South, Southeast,and East Asia, and conduct integrated studies into the structure and variability of the multi-scale water cycle.
The Hydrosphere Atmospheric Research Center, Nagoya University (HyARC), was established on April 1,
2001, with the purpose of promoting research that would lead to an understanding of the global water cycle.
The scope of HyARC includes 1) meteorology, 2) hydrology, 3) land-atmosphere interaction, and 4)
biological effects on the material cycle in the hydrosphere. The global water cycle should be understood as theinteractions occurring among the atmosphere, land, ocean, and the cryosphere at various temporal-spatial
scales. We have been and will continue to conduct field experiments, satellite data analyses, modelinginvestigations in collaboration with other universities, research institutes, not only domestically but
internationally as well. In this, HyARC hopes to take a leading role in an inter-university collaborative system.

11

History
Water is essential for life. It circulates on earth, and even small fluctuations of the water cycle may cause
serious problems on human life. The fluctuation, viz. temporal and spatial distributional variation of water,
results from multiple factors at different time and spatial scales. These include natural factors as well fromhuman induced changes on the earth system. The complex nature of the multi-scale temporal and spatial
variability of the water cycles makes its understanding and prediction difficult. It is therefore desirable, toovercome this difficulty, to conduct integrated studies of various aspects, such as physics, biology andchemistry and/or air, land and oceans, on the structure and variability of the multi-scale water cycles as parts of
a whole water cycle system in the earth system.
The Institute for Hydrospheric-Atmospheric Sciences (IHAS) has been established 1 April 1993 to
conduct integrated studies on the structure and dynamics of the hydrosphere and atmosphere aiming at
understanding the relationship of processes in water and material cycles in a changing earth environment. IHAS
had been appreciated by its important contribution in the coordination of national and international joint
research projects on earth environmental studies. During the 8-years history of IHAS the global warming andconnected environmental changes became an urgent societal issue, and hence serious discussion on the future
research strategy has been made in the IHAS.
The conclusion was to bifurcate activities of IHAS. First to concentrate on the intensive integrated
research of the water cycle which is to be conducted by a nation-wide collaborative Hydrospheric AtmosphericResearch Center, HyARC. Second to disseminate achievements of the Science of Hydrosphere and Atmosphereacquired at IHAS. Third to conduct multidisciplinary studies on "Environmentology" in collaboration withresearchers with broad background of science, technology and humanities. The conclusion was materializedwith the joint efforts of many people in Nagoya University, the Government of Japan and the Scientific
Societies who supported the idea.
HyARC designed to be a national core research center to facilitate national and international
interdisciplinary cooperative studies on the global water cycles in order to reveal the multi-scale structure of thewater cycle and to understand its variability.
HyARC comprises of 2 research divisions according to the time and spatial scales of the water cycles ofinterest. The division for Regional-Scale Water Cycle Processes conducts observational research for the various
processes in the water cycles as well as development of numerical models.
The division for Global-Scale Water Cycle Variations conducts analysis of time-series data on variabilityof water cycle systems to develop numerical models. The target time scale ranges from seasonal to decades, andspatial scale from an observational site to Asia-West Pacific regions. HyARC puts emphasis on biologicalactivities on land and in the oceans. The biological activities, maintained by water cycles, are invariably
associated with material exchange between the cells and environments, and this is why the biota is situating at
the crossover point of the water and material cycles. Biology is considered to play key roles in large scale andlong-term variability of the water cycle systems, but little is yet known. This would be one of the challenges ofthe HyARC.

(Northwest view from roof)

22

Organization
Purpose of Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
The goal of HyARC is to reveal multi-scale structure of the water cycle systems and its
variability in order to better understand the global climate system, and to improve predicting capabilityof future climate, water resources, and food production, which are quite important for human life. The
HyARC has been established on 1 April, 2001 as an institute for collaborations with academic
communities.

Organization（as of April 2009）

Research
Division
Board ofCouncilors

Director

Division of Regional-Scale Water Cycle Processes
Professor

UYEDA Hiroshi

YASUNARI Tetsuzo

Assoc. Professor

TSUBOKI Kazuhisa

MASUNAGA Hirohiko

Assist. Professor

SHINODA Taro

FUJINAMI Hatsuki

VL Promotion Unit
Advisory
Board

Designated
Assist. Professor

OHIGASHI Tadayasu

Division of Global-Scale Water Cycle Variations
Board onResearch
Collaboration

Professor

NAKAMURA Kenji

ISHIZAKA Joji

Assoc. Professor

HIYAMA Tetsuya

MORIMOTO Akihiko

Assist. Professor

MINO Yoshihisa

Designated
Assoc. Professor

Sandric C.Y.LEONG

Technical Office (Technical Center)

MINDA Haruya

Secretary Office

IWAMOTO Keiko

KAWAKAMI Shinnosuke

Administrative Office
Administrative
Director
Administrative
Vice-Director

SATO Shigeaki
SUGIE Osamu
General Affairs
SectionAccounting
Section

Supplies
SectionStudent Affairs
Section3

TAKADA Yoshimasa

KOJIMA Miki

HORINOUCHI Nobutaka

ISHIHARA Hidenori

TANAKA Mihoko

NISHIKAWA Sachi

MIYANO Koji

MANABE Ken

TOIDA Machiko
KAWAI Akira
OYA Yumiko

ONO YokoAdministration
Board of Councilors

UYEDA Hiroshi: Director, Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
YASUNARI Tetsuzo: Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
NAKAMURA Kenji: Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
ISHIZAKA Joji: Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
TANAKA Kentaro: Prof., Graduate School of Science
TSUJIMOTO Tetsuro: Prof., Graduate School of Engineering
OTA Takeshi: Prof., Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences
KANZAWA Hiroshi: Prof., Graduate School of Environmental Studies
MATSUMI Yutaka: Prof., Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory

Advisory Board

Members from Nagoya University
UYEDA Hiroshi: Director, Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
YASUNARI Tetsuzo: Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
NAKAMURA Kenji: Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
ISHIZAKA Joji: Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
TSUBOKI Kazuhisa: Assoc. Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
MASUNAGA Hirohiko: Assoc. Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
HIYAMA Tetsuya: Assoc. Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
MORIMOTO Akihiko: Assoc. Prof., Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
Members outside Nagoya University
FUJIYOSHI Yasushi: Prof., Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University
HANAWA Kimio: Prof., Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University
SUMI Akimasa: Prof., Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science,
The University of Tokyo
FUKUSHIMA Yoshihiro: Prof., Tottori University of Environmental Studies
YAMANAKA Manabu: Senior Scientist, Institute of Observational Research for Global Change,
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
YAMANOUCHI Takashi: Prof., National Institute of Polar Research
TANIGUCHI Makoto: Prof., Research Institute for Humanity and Nature
OKI Riko: Senior Researcher, Earth Observation Research Center, Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency

4

What is Water Circulation?
Water circulates in the whole of the Earth surfaces with different phases (states) such as ice (solid),
water (liquid), and water vapor (gas). Water also plays an important role on the re-distribution of the energy
and material on the Earth by not only the vertical interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere,
land-atmosphere, and horizontal movement between land and ocean, but also global scale circulations in theocean and the atmosphere via tropics - sub-tropics - temperate - cold regions. Our Earth has nothomogeneous distributions of land and ocean, and terrestrial elevation; thus, temporal and spatial circulationsof water have been changing with wide variability.
HyARC focus on the spatial and vertical structure of water cycle in Baiu / Meiyu front region in East
Asia and area in Western Pacific Ocean. HyARC also mentions the activities of lives, and takes a leadershipfor investigations of water cycle, by carrying out the overall field experiments, using satellites dataset, andnumerical models for water cycles.

Cloud processes, including diabatic heating and radiation, have are important for the global energy and water circulation(left: cumulus cloud over the Western Pacific Ocean, right: stratocumulus cloud over the East China Sea).

5

Research Topics in HyARC
Research on local atmospheric phenomena such as heavy rainfall, tornados, and generation of cumulonimbus
due to atmospheric convection
Research on organized precipitation systems including the Baiu frontal region and typhoon
Study on biosphere-aerosol-climate interaction
Research on the interactions between tropical atmospheric dynamics and convective clouds
Research on transfer processes of water, heat and mass exchanges over various terrestrial ecosystems
Research on precipitation activity in various spatial / temporal scales using satellite remote sensing
Research on marine biological activity and related water cycles using satellite remote sensing

Three-dimensional typhoon T0418 structure simulatedby the Cloud Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS)
using 1-km horizontal grid resolution. The whitesmoke-like color indicates the amount of liquid cloudwater outlined by Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer(POV-Ray). Courtesy of Professor T. Aoki and Ms. S.
Sato, Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Phytoplankton pigment (chlorophyll-a) concentrationin August from 1998 to 2006 determined by ocean
color remote sensing. Increased phytoplankton withnutrients from the influence of the Chinese river,
Changjiang, reached almost Japan.

Average rain distribution after it started raining around Okinawa Island. Left: satellite data,
right: Radar -AMeDAS.

6

Research Division
Regional-Scale Water Cycle Processes
We investigate water cycle processes linked to the atmosphere, continents, and oceans by means offield experiments, data analyses, and numerical simulations. Our research targets include the dynamical andmicrophysical processes of cloud and precipitation systems and interactions among the atmosphere, land
surface, and ocean, including the roles of vegetation and biological processes in the context of the global
water cycle.
In field experiments, we perform observations of the water cycle in many different ways. Precipitation
systems in the Baiu front and typhoons around the East China Sea and the Japan Islands are observed using
polarimetric Doppler radars. At the same time, we are developing a cloud-resolving numerical model toexamine the detailed structure of heavy rainfall/snowfall systems, typhoons, and tornados. In addition, weinvestigate the mechanisms of diurnal, intraseasonal, seasonal, and annual variations of Asian monsoon
using reanalysis data and climate models. Satellite data are fully utilized for regions beyond the reach ofground observational networks.
In an effort to establish strategies to exploit observations and model simulations complementarily, weare exploring methodologies to validate cloud-resolving numerical simulations using ground-based andsatellite data. Analysis tools and datasets obtained from our observational and modeling studies will bemade available to the public. Our objective is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the Earth’s water
cycle by continuing and further expanding ongoing research on individual processes and interactions
among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

Vertical cross section of different types of precipitation
particles detected by the polarimetric radar situated at
Nagoya University along an azimuth of 316.08 degrees at
22:23 JST on August 28, 2008. Yellow and orange colors
show the existence of graupel above the melting level.

Satellite data analysis of the interaction among the MaddenJulian Oscillation (MJO) and equatorial atmospheric waves(and its schematic). The result offers a new insight into theatmospheric dynamics governing tropical convective clouds.

7

A new X-band polarimetric Doppler radarsituated at Nagoya University.

Spatial distribution in precipitation andmoisture flux vectors over monsoon Asia
in summer.

Current Research Field
Lab. of Meteorology
tel: (052) 789-3492 e-mail : uyeda@rain.hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Major works are field experiments in moist Asia and data analyses aiming to reveal the generation anddevelopment mechanisms of precipitation systems. Energy and water circulation in the area from the west
Pacific ocean to the Baiu/Meiyu frontal zone are investigated by jointly synthesized observations anddiagnostic analyses with numerical simulations, solving the problems of boundary layer flux, cumulus cloudformation and cloud physical processes. He is aiming to clarify the characteristics of precipitation systems inmoist Asia and to reveal the impact of precipitation systems in climate change by investigation of various
precipitation systems in Asia.

UYEDA Hiroshi (Professor)

tel: (052) 789-3493 e-mail : tsuboki@rain.hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Water circulation of the atmosphere is characterized by clouds and precipitation. Their formation and evolution
are diverse and complex. In order to study the mechanism and structure of clouds, both observation andnumerical modeling are important. I perform field experiments and develop a cloud model (the Cloud
Resolving Storm Simulator; CReSS) to study the nature of clouds and precipitation.

TSUBOKI Kazuhisa (Assoc. Professor)

tel: (052) 789-3494 e-mail : shinoda@rain.hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
I have studied the development process and structure of deep convective clouds by using results of radarobservations and numerical simulation. I am also interested in the generation of shallow convective clouds
around the top of the convective mixing layer. Especially, I consider that the land-atmosphere interaction andthe humidity in the middle troposphere are affecting the development of deep convective clouds. I will
research the process of the boundary layer an cloud physics in order to improve the parameterizations utilizedin GCMs (General Circulation Models) and RCMs (Regional Climate Models).

SHINODA Taro (Assist. Professor)

OHIGASHI Tadayasu (Designated Assist. Prof.)

tel: (052) 789-3493 e-mail : ohigashi@rain.hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Extreme phenomena such as heavy rainfall/snowfall and high winds occur occasionally in the atmosphere. My
interests lie in how extreme phenomena start, develop, and are maintained. Recent progress of both simulation
models and computer performance enables us to create an apparently realistic computer-simulated atmosphere.
This provides valuable information for us to understand the phenomena, while numerical models cannot
completely simulate the real atmosphere. Observation provides us with accurate data. However, thisinformation is fragmentary in space and time. By the complementary use of computer simulation andobservation with imperfect information, I am attempting to clarify the mechanisms causing the extreme
phenomena.

Lab. for Climate System Study
tel: (052)789-3465 e-mail: yasunari@hayrc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
The Asian monsoon provides abundant water for human life and diverse biosphere in this humid Asia. Thismonsoon system, on the other hand, plays an essential role in the earth climate system as a gigantic water cycling
system. We are conductiong intensive and extensive studies on the Asian monsoon system and its variability withvarious time-space scales, particularly focusing on the energy and water cycle processes (i.e., precipitation andconvective activity, water vapor transport, evapotranspiration, runoff etc) between land, atmosphere and oceans.
We also focus on how some dominant vegetation in the monsoon Asia (e.g., tropical rain forest in southeast Asia,
grassland in Mongolia, taiga in Siberia etc.) are maintained through the interaction between climate, water cycle
and the eco-systems.

YASUNARI Tetsuzo (Professor)

tel: (052)789-3474 e-mail: hatsuki@hayrc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
I study the space-time variability of convection and associated atmospheric circulation over the Asian summer
monsoon regions using satellite data, global objective analysis data, and surface observation data. I focus on
the land areas affected by Asian summer monsoon (e.g., the Tibetan Plateau, the plains of the eastern part ofChina, Nepal, and Bangladesh). The target timescale ranges from diurnal to interannual. I will investigate therelationship between land surface conditions (e.g., topography, vegetation, etc.) and the convective variability.

FUJINAMI Hatsuki (Assist. Professor)

Lab. for Cloud and Precipitation Climatology
tel: (052)789-5413 e-mail: masunaga@hayrc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Clouds and precipitation are not only susceptible to ambient climate changes but are also crucial for climate
formation. Our objective is to further understand the Earth’s climate system by thoroughly and carefully
examining clouds and precipitation present around the globe. Observations from satellite radars andradiometers, together with other research tools including numerical models, are instrumental in the projects wehave underway. We also aim at contributing to international satellite programs via the development of data
analysis algorithms.

MASUNAGA Hirohiko (Assoc. Professor)

8

Research Division
Global-Scale Water Cycle Variations
This division conducts scientific investigations on the nature and mechanisms of variability of the
global water circulation system mainly by data analysis and global numerical modeling with an insight into
interactions between the water cycle, material cycle and biological processes. The data from satellites andother sources, which are of different quality, will be assimilated into reconciled grid data by the use of thenumerical model prior to data analysis.
Since the variability of the water circulation system depends not only on internal factors inherent in
the system, but also on external ones, individual parameters of these factors will be examined for its
responsibility for and sensitivity to the system variability by data analysis and the global numerical model.
By combined use of the results from these examinations, we will clarify the mechanisms regulating thevariability of the global water circulation system.

Image of Tropical Rainfall
MeasuringMission(TRMM)
Global rainfall rate map derived from TRMM/
TMI during JJA on 1998-2002(upper), Maps of
local time with TMI maximum rainfall rate withthe saturation of 0-1 as an amplitude of diurnal
variation(middle) and without above saturation(lower).

Global ocean primary production in April
2009. It is estimated by satellite-observed
phytoplankton pigment (chlorophyll-a)
concentration, sea surface temperature,and photosynthetically active radiation.

The Kuroshio northeast of Taiwan observed bylong-range ocean radar before and after thetyphoon passage. Red indicates a current
velocity greater than 1 m/s. The Kuroshio flows
northeastward before the typhoon approaches
and flows northward after the typhoon passage.

9

Current Research Field
Lab. of Satellite Meteorology
tel: (052)789-5439 e-mail:nakamura@hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Satellites are powerful and essential tools for long-term global observation. Visible/infrared radiometers andmicrowave radiometers have a long history for clouds and precipitation system observation from satellites.
Recently a spaceborne radar which can observe three-dimensional structure of rain over land or ocean, wasrealized. Satellite data, mainly the spaceborne radar data are analyzed in my laboratory. Not only precise andaccurate rain distribution but also rain height distribution and diurnal variations were revealed from the radar data.
These results are new and interesting to clarify the variation of precipitation systems on Earth. Retrieval
algorithms are important for spaceborne Earth observation sensors, and evaluation and improvement of thealgorithm are also performed.

NAKAMURA Kenji (Professor)

Lab. of Eco-Hydrometeorology
tel: (052)789-3478 e-mail: hiyama@hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
My research interests lie in the changes in terrestrial water storage and terrestrial vegetation under the pressures ofhumanity and climate change. The main target fields are the mid to high latitudes of eastern Eurasia, including the
Lena River Basin, Yellow River Basin, and Yangtze River Basin. The gravity recovery and climate experiment(GRACE) data set is used to determine the global changes in terrestrial water storage. In addition, hydrologic
tracers such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and stable isotope ratios of water (δD & δ18O) are used for moreaccurate estimation of the residence time and recharge area of terrestrial water. Analyses of tower-based surface
fluxes and satellite-derived data sets are conducted to detect terrestrial vegetation changes in regional tocontinental scales.

HIYAMA Tetsuya (Assoc. Professor)

Lab. of Satellite Biological Oceanography
tel: (052)789-3487 e-mail: jishizak@hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Primary production of marine environment is conducted mostly by microscopic phytoplankton and is the mostimportant process for energy and material flows through marine ecosystem. Primary production of the marine
environment is studied by satellite remote sensing, ship observation, and analysis of the past dataset. Currently,
coastal environment is the main target because it is under the influence of human impact through changes infreshwater input and nutrient load and under the influence of climate change through modification of ocean current
and wind. The East China Sea, the Japan Sea, and Ariake Sound have been studied, and we are planning to study
the Ise and Mikawa bays.

ISHIZAKA Joji (Professor)

tel: (052)789-3491 e-mail: kuro@hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Marine biological processes contribute significantly to the absorption of atmospheric CO2 by the oceans, which inturn controls atmospheric CO2 concentration on long time scales and thereby influences global climate. My study
involves the evaluation of spatial-temporal variability in such biological processes, mainly carbon fixation byphytoplankton and sinking of biogenic debris, and the elucidation of their controlling mechanisms using stable
isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) in the marine organic matter. The physiological responses of algae to the environmental
changes, associated with global warming, are also investigated with help of both laboratory experiments on algal
cultures and field observations.

MINO Yoshihisa (Assist. Professor)

Sandric C.Y. LEONG (Designated Assoc. Prof.)

tel: (052)789-3489 e-mail: sandric@hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Given the importance of marine environments especially coastal regions, it is essential to detect changes, develop
control measures and ultimately to protect the quality of the marine environments. My primary interest lies inunderstanding how environmental and/or climate changes increasingly caused by human activities are altering
aquatic communities with emphasis on primary productivity and phytoplankton physiology. My current work aims
to determine phytoplankton adaptability and variation in varying environments, and to understand how alterations
in environmental settings influence phytoplankton physiological variation. Another long-term goal of mine is todevelop a method for detecting variability in the physiological properties of phytoplankton using opticalabsorption/fluorescence measurements.

Lab. of Bio-Physical Oceanography
tel: (052)789-3433 e-mail: amorimoto@hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Variability of the sea surface current field in the ocean, which affects the material cycle, is investigated by using
satellite, ocean radar, and hydrographic data. I focus on the variability in the current field and the response of theecosystem to the current variability in the Asian marginal seas such as the East China, Yellow, and Japan seas. The
marine environments in the East China and Japan seas are drastically changing due to climate change andconstruction of the Three Gorges dam. To investigate the marine environment change, we conducted hydrographic
observation in the Tsushima Straits, which connect the East China Sea to the Japan Sea.

MORIMOTO Akihiko (Assoc. Professor)

10Research Programme
Formation of a virtual laboratory for diagnosing the Earth’s climate system (VL)
To diagnose the Earth’s climate system facing global warming, a virtual laboratory (VL) was established in2007 as a joint program conducted by the following four research centers: (1) Center for Climate System Research(CCSR), the University of Tokyo, (2) Center for Environmental Remote Sensing (CEReS), Chiba University, (3)Center for Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies (CAOS), Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, and (4)Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center (HyARC), Nagoya University. The duration of this program is sevenyears. Each participating institute contributes to the program by exploiting their own strengths, for example,
archiving datasets of greenhouse gases, aerosols, microphysical parameters of clouds, vegetation parameters, andthe structure of cloud and precipitation systems. These data are crucial for validating and evaluating global
circulation models (GCMs) and regional cloud-resolving model simulations. Furthermore, we aim at training
young scientists through the research program. While a short training course is conducted every year by one of
our participating institutes in turn, we exchange our staff and young scientists to give seminars.
The VL members at HyARC conduct water budget studies with focus on cloud and precipitation using the
Cloud Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS) and the Satellite Data Simulator Unit (SDSU). In this program, weinvestigate six themes as follows:(1) Development of the CReSS model(2) Establishment of methodology to validate CReSS simulations using the SDSU
(3) Implementation of a data assimilation scheme for the CReSS(4) Establishment of methodology to use CReSS simulations for improving the cloud parameterizations for
GCMs(5) Development of a two-way nesting scheme linking GCM and CReSS(6) Establishment of data analysis techniques for X-band polarimetric radars
We started a pilot study to validate the cloud-top height (temperature) computed from CReSS simulations
using the SDSU to compare that with satellite data provided from CEReS, Chiba University (see Figure). We are
exploring methodologies to validate CReSS simulations in order to improve the microphysical scheme in the
CReSS.

(Left panel) Horizontal distributions of infrared brightness temperature calculated using the SDSU and simulated by the
CReSS at 12 UTC on July 7, 2005 around the western Japan Islands. (Right panel) Same as the left panel, but for
multi-functional transport satellite (MTSAT) observation. Courtesy of Dr. M. K. Yamamoto and Professor A. Higuchi,
CEReS, Chiba University.

11

Study consortium for Earth-Life Interactive System
What is Study consortium for Earth-Life Interactive System (SELIS)?
As scientists work towards solving the current global environmental issues, there is a great need for amore complete understanding of the earth system. To achieve this aim it is essential to establish and promotea synthetic science of the Earth-Life Interactive System – a science that treats the close interaction between
the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the geosphere, and the biosphere. James Lovelock, a British environmental
scientist, proposed the radical new “Gaia” concept- a proposal that the Earth’s environment is actively
controlled by the biosphere. However, the extent and ways in which the real earth system behaves like “Gaia”
remain major unresolved issues. The mission of the new institute SELIS (Study consortium for Earth-Life
Interactive System) is to achieve a deep understanding of the earth system – a system on which all the living
creatures depend - and through this to propose a new discipline to study our planet Earth.

The departments and institutes contributing to SELIS in Nagoya University






Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center (HyARC)
Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory (STEL)
Center for Chronological Research (CCR)
Graduate School of Environmental Studies (GSES)
Graduate School of Bio-agricultural Studies (GSBS)HyARC, STEL, CCR and GSES were participated in the 21st COE program “Sun-Earth-Life Interactive
System” (the precursor of new SELIS) - and GSBS – an important new addition – which together will
underpin research and education of the “Earth-Life Interactive System”. Our organization is unique in Japan.
We envisage SELIS playing an important role as an international base for both research and education related
to studies on the earth system and environmental change in Asia. Collaboration with international globalchange programs such as ESSP, WCRP and IGBP will be an important part of this process. Within theuniversity, SELIS is committed to educating students in earth environment studies, through a lecture series“Earth Study”, cross-disciplinary seminars, and other activities.

Purpose of SELIS
To understand the seamless-earth system - including the biosphere and humanosphere - and its changes,
it is essential to further develop interdisciplinary research and education. Under these circumstances, we haveestablished a new virtual institute SELIS within Nagoya university (NU) involving HyARC, STEL, OCR,
GSES, and GSBS, which will function as an international center of excellence for global change studies, incollaboration with related national and international institutions and organizations. The purpose of this new
SELIS is to promote an interdisciplinary study on the the seamless-earth system. Special attention will be
paid to active roles of the biosphere and ecosystems in the earth climate system and its changes. In June2009 a Global COE Program for the environmental studies at NU has been approved by the Ministry of
Education, Science, Sports and Culture (MEXT), and SELIS is also playing an important role on
coordinating interdisciplinary environmental studies in this Global COE Program.

SELIS website: http://www.selis.hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp

12Other Important Activities
The Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center is also receiving research students, commissioned
researchers and other researchers. Further, concerning UNESCO-IHP (International Hydrological Program),
HyARC is receiving trainees dispatched from countries of especially East Asian and Southeast Asian for ashort term every year who obtain special lectures and training on studies of global water cycles. As
enlightening activity for the public, the Research Center holds every year some public lectures spoken in aplain language and explaining the basic scientific issues of global water cycles, global environmental
problems and other subjects.
The water cycle is a very important componentof the Earth's environmental system. HyARC arouses
Special Research Projects and promotes basic studies
on global water cycles in cooperation with researchers
from other universities and institutes. HyARC isclosely connected with the Research Institute for
Humanity and Nature (RIHN). We participate incooperative projects related to global water cycles in
the world. Further the staff of HyARC connects
actively with researchers working in other universities
and institutes.

IHP Training Course： Technical Tours at Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency in Tsukuba.

As a member of the former Institute for Hydrospheric-Atmospheric Sciences, we took part in the GEWEXAsian Monsoon Experiment endorsed by the WCRP (World Climate Research Program) and managed theExperiment as a secretariat in and outside Japan. Moreover, we coordinated a process study in the Northwestern
Pacific ocean under Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) being supported by International
Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP). Similar activities are also carried out by HyARC.

Nagoya University
Graduate School of
Bioagricultural Sciences

Research Institute for
Humanity and Nature
Graduate School ofEnvironmental Studies
Other Universities

Graduate School of
Science

SELIS

Hydrospheric AtmosphericResearch Center

Independent Administrative
Institution, Institute, etc

National Institute of Information
and Communications Technology
Global COE
Program

Other
Departments

Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency

Others13

Japan Agency for Marine-Earth
Science and Technology

Access Guide

Map
Higashiyama Campus
To Motoyama

Hydrospheric AtmosphericResearch Center
Environmental
Studies Hall

University Library
Institute for Advanced
Research Hall
3
2
1

Information

Administration Bureau
Building

To Yagoto

1 ～ 3

Subway Meijo Line “Nagoya Daigaku” Station

Toyoda Auditorium
Nagoya University Symposion

City Bus “Nagoya Daigaku mae” Bus Stop

14

Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center
Nagoya University
2009

Address: Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601 JAPAN
Phone: +81-52-789-3466

FAX: +81-52-789-3436

URL http://www.hyarc.nagoya-u.ac.jp/english/

15