Departments and Divisions
Department of Environmental Research
The Department of Environmental Research pursues solutions of various environmental issues in the area of the Circum-Sea of Japan.
Division of Atmospheric Environmental Studies
The division focuses on the atmospheric environment of the Circum-Sea of Japan area, the most prominent area of the world in which incidence of environmental pollutants such as Asian dust (Kosa: yellow dust) and PM2.5 have become obvious. In order to make clear their mechanisms of generation, transportation and reaction, and their effects on human health and ecosystems, further, to predict the future changes of the pollutants in the area, the division devises and develops new analytical methods by making free use of international joint research networks. Based on the above-stated activities and their results, the division contributes to solve similar atmospheric environmental issues in the world.
Facility: Noto Supersite (Noto Peninsula)
Division of Marine Environmental Studies
The division studies dynamics of harmful chemical substances in the modern marine environment and their injurious influence upon the ecosystem in the Circum Sea of Japan area, and it devises and develops ecological techniques taking measures to cope with spreading harmful chemical substances particularly in the coastal areas of the sea. The division evaluates the dynamics using techniques of biochemistry and chemical oceanography in order to build management methods and evaluation systems of marine environment on the basis of international cooperation.
Facility: Noto Marine Laboratory (Ogi Campus)
Division of Terrestrial Environmental Studies
The area of the Circum-Sea of Japan is characterised by existence of various and diverse terrestrial environments. Aiming to understand their temporal and spatial changes and to define clearly the present situation of the environments, and to predict their future changes, the division develops geological and geochemical techniques to understand their long- and short-term fluctuations. The division also focuses researches on establishment processes of the present various ecosystems in the area using ecological and phylogenetic approaches in order to evaluate influence of human activities and natural phenomena.
Facility: Botanical Garden (Kakuma Campus)
Division of Integrated Environmental Studies
In order to understand migration behaviour of chemical substances in the Earth's surface environment, their dynamics within terrestrial, atmospheric and marine environments, and transport processes in each environmental boundary zone are important. The division studies environmental dynamics tracers which integrate each research division of the department. On the basis of researches on estimation of origins of the tracers, understanding of migration of them, and in combination with the model simulation, the division carries out integrated analysis of substance dynamics in the area of the Circum-Sea of Japan to predict its future changes.
Facilities: Low Level Radioactivity Laboratory (Tatsunokuchi Campus) and Ogoya Underground Laboratory.
