27回英語のTpo-Home

　　Almost 10 % of the earth's ocean is perennially or seasonally covered with ice layers. variations in the sea ice cover have profound effects on the global heat balance and thus relate to the dynamic cycle of the atmosphere and of the ocean.

　　The Sea of Okhotsk is known as Japan's only "freezing" sea, with its frozen coastal waters along Hokkaido being the southernmost (44deg.00'-45deg.30'N) on the Northern Hemisphere. Up to 60～70% of the Okhotsk surface is ice covered during the winter, hampering navigation and fishing operations. It is true that sea ice increases marine productivity but it can cause problems such as marine accidents, damage to equipment and rigs that are in the water, and damage to field crops due to cold weather. With development of seabed resources such as oil and gas, advanced studies in marine structures and ice engineering are in great demand.

　　The Okhotsk Sea & Sea Ice Symposium is organized annually by the Okhotsk Sea & Cold Ocean Research Association (OSCORA). The objectives of this annual symposium are to promote the advancement of all ice-related studies such as oceanography, meteorology, biology and fisheries, to explore what may be common in various fields, to review the latest developments in these fields, and to outline new directions for future research. It is our hope at this 28th International Symposium that many excellent presentations and discussions amongst participants will lead to deeper understanding of sea ice studies.