Dec 14, 2019 (NHK) - A Japanese research group has developed a method that increases the accuracy of predicting long-term seawater temperatures by collecting data with the help of turtles.
Researchers from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, and elsewhere, installed sea temperature sensors on five turtles, which went ashore in Indonesia to lay eggs.
The sensors can measure sea temperatures in different depths and send data via satellite. The researchers say they obtained permission from authorities to attach the sensors to the turtles.
They say the turtles traveled more than 1,000 kilometers over three months and could collect data at depths of up to 250 meters.
They say the data significantly improved the prediction accuracy of sea temperature in waters around Indonesia.
Takeshi Doi from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology said the new method has significantly enhanced accuracy. He added that his group hopes it will lead to more precise long-term weather forecasts.
Predicting changes in sea temperatures is crucial for long-range weather forecasts. But accurate prediction is often difficult due to shortages of data.
