Some characteristics of wind and temperature changes in the Syowa Area, Antarctica, in terms of katabatic wind

In order to investigate the characteristics of katabatic wind in the Syowa area, two unmanned weather stations were set up mainly along the flow line of katabatic wind on the coastal zone near Syowa Station (69°00′S, 39°35′E) of East Ongul Island in Lutzow-Holm Bay. One station was installed at the foot of the coastal ice slope and the other on the ice slope 12km inland. From August 1980 to January 1981,wind speed and air temperature were measured at those stations, and vertical soundings by rawinsonde were done at Syowa Station. During the period of increasing of wind speed, a notable difference in wind direction was observed at Syowa Station, and besides, the vertical profiles of temperature and wind were classified into 2 types in terms of the height of inversion layer. When wind direction ranged from ENE to E at Syowa Station, and temperature inversion took place at about 300m high, it was recognized to be a typical katabatic wind. Whereas, on the occasion of wind direction ranged from NNE to NE, inversion layer at 1000m high, and cloudy condition, the wind was identified with that caused by large scale disturbances