Air temperature and relative humidity in Dome Fuji Station buildings, East Antarctic ice sheet, in 2003

• Main Authors: Takao Kameda, Kenji Taniguchi, Kyo Takahashi, Takashi Kurisaki
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research 2008
• Subjects: Geography (General); G1-922; Antarctic; Dome Fuji; Dome Fuji Station; East Antarctic Ice Sheet; Antarc*; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.15094/00009445; https://doaj.org/article/2acfc26fa5f946268302869d32293c8a

In order to clarify the living condition in Dome Fuji Station in 2003, air temperature and relative humidity in the station were measured. Thermocouples with data logger and a ventilated psychrometer were used for the measurements. Average air temperature from February 11, 2003 to January 14, 2004 (missing period: July 19 to August 17) in the Dome Fuji Station buildings were as follows: Generator room 24.7℃, Dining room 23.5℃, Observation room 21.1℃, Dormitory room 18.2℃, Corridor 18.2℃, Food storage 8.2℃ and Old ice coring site -51.3℃. Average outside air temperature (1.5m height from the snow surface) during the period was -54.4℃. A remarkable increase of outside air temperature (+30℃ at maximum) due to a blocking high event was observed from October 31, 2003 to November 10, 2003 at Dome Fuji, during which increase of air temperature from 5 to 8°C in the station buildings was recorded. Snow on the station buildings was partly melted and some of the melted water penetrated into the station. This was the only time snow melted during the wintering over party's stay at the station. Average relative humidity in the station buildings obtained using a small humidifier was about 25%; the relative humidity without using the humidifier ranged from 9.0 to 22.9%.