Online Report of The Hakuho Maru Cruise KH-11-8

Cruise for overturning circulation, turbulence, and subduction in the northeastern North Pacific

Cruise Period of Leg 1

12 August - 5 September 2011

Tokyo, Japan - San Fransisco, USA

Cruise Period of Leg 2

8 September - 4 October 2011

San Fransisco, USA - Tokyo, Japan

Objectives and Brief Narrative of Cruise

Study subjects of the cruise KH-11-8 were

(1) to study the deep circulation and upwelling of deep water (AORI),

(2) to study variations of deep circulation current (AORI),

(3) to study vertical eddy diffusivity using a deep-water vertical microstructure profiler (AORI; Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo),

(4) to study the surface-water subduction in northeastern North Pacific (AORI; Tohoku University),

(5) to study the coefficient of diffusivity in surface layer by measuring density ratios and turbulence (Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology),

(6) to study living planktic foraminifera and diatom for reconstruction of paleoclimate (Akita University),

(7) to study oceanographic variations in northern North Pacific using Argo profiling floats (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, JAMSTEC),

(8) to study radioactivity in seawater and aerosol - Observations related to the Great East-Japan Earthquake (AORI; Meteorological Research Institute, the Japan Meteorological Agency).