What is yukimarimo? Photo Gallery of yukimarimo Yukimarimo cookies
Front page of academic journal First return to his father's home, Dome Fuji
First visit to Alaska First vist to UK Download yukimarimo poster
Return to the TOP page Japanese
This homepage introduces "yukimarimo"
that was discovered at Dome Fuji, central Antarctic
ice sheet,
in 1995 by the members of 36th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition.
In 1995, nine members of the 36th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition
(JARE-36) carried out the first year-round glaciological and meteorological
observations at Dome Fuji Station, located at 3,810 m on the inland plateau
of the Antarctic ice sheet. Members of JARE-36 observed an unusual phenomenon.
Fine frost layers had formed on the snow surface at cold air temperatures
(ranging from -59 to -72 °C), and frost balls had formed due to a weak
wind condition.
Dr. Kameda investigated the formation process of the balls and named them “yukimarimo”. “Yuki” means snow in Japanese and “marimo” is a ball-like plant found in some lakes in the northern hemisphere. So, yukimarimo means something like “snow ball” or “snow roller”. If you want to know more details about yukimarimo, please see Kameda et al. (1999) and Kameda (2007).
References
Kameda, T., H. Yoshimi, N. Azuma and H. Motoyama (1999): Observation of
“yukimarimo” on the snow surface of the inland plateau, Antarctic
ice sheet. Journal of Glaciology, 45, 150, 394-396.
Kameda, T.（2007）：Discovery and reunion with yukimarimo. Seppyo (Journal of Japanese Society
of Snow and Ice), 69(3), 403-407 (in Japanese).
and also,
Amundsen, R.(1912): The South Pole. An account of the Norwegian Antarctic
Expedition in the “Fram”, 1910-1912 .Vol.1, Translated from
the Norwegian by A.G. Charter, London, John Murray.
Siple, P.A.(1959): 90° South. The story of the American South Pole conquest.
New York, 384p, G.P Putnam's Sons.
26 October 1995 at Dome Fuji.
This is a close-up of the yukimarimo in the center of the below photograph.
26 October 1995 at Dome Fuji.
The same group of
yukimarimo appears at the center of this photograph.
11 April 2003 at Dome Fuji. Reunion with yukimarimo;
8 years after the last observations at Dome Fuji in 1995.
24 September 2003 at Dome Fuji
24 September 2003, enlargement of above photo.
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Yukimarimo cookies are now available at four shops in Kitami, Hokkaido, Japan. This cookie is a cooperative product of Kitami Institute
of Technology (KIT) and Seigetsu Co. Ltd. to celebrate the discovery of
“yukimarimo” at Dome Fuji, Antarctic ice sheet in 1995.
There are two versions of the package of yukimarimo cookies, the original
version and the KIT version. You can buy the original version of yukimarimo
cookie at Seigetsu (headquarters, Yuhigaoka dori branch, and Tonden branch)
and the KIT version only at COOP of KIT. The KIT version was designed by
Dr. Uchijima of KIT.
Please come to Kitami to buy yukimarimo cookies! If you think Kitami
is too far, please visit the web shop of Seigetsu and COOP to buy yukimarimo cookies (unfortunately, Japanese language only).
3.jpg)
Yukimarimo cookie (original
version)
2.jpg)
KIT version, KIT: Kitami Institute
of Technology.
Backside of yukimarimo cookie
（common in both versions)
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This is the front page of Journal of Glaciology in 1999 when the
research paper about
yukimarimo by Kameda et al. (1999) was published.
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From November 2007 to January 2008, members of the 48th and 49th Japanese
Antarctic Research Expeditions carried out the Japanese-Swedish Scientific
Traverse on East Antarctic ice sheet. One of the members of the expedition
(Prof. Hiroyuki Enomoto of Kitami Institute of Technology) took me to Dome
Fuji. This was the first visit of my father's "birth place".
These are memorial photographs. Photographs are kindly supplied by Prof.
H. Enomoto of KIT, Japan.
Yukimarimo coolie at Dome Fuji in 2008 (photo, prepared
by H. Enomoto）
2.jpg)
Yukimarimo cookie with a members of Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition,
Dr. Fumio Nakazawa of National
Institute of Polar Research. Behind is a SM100 type
of snow vehicle made by Ohara company
Ltd., Nagaoka, Japan.
Prof. Enomoto carryed me to Sweden traver party on the Antartic ice sheet.
From right: Dr. Shin Sugiyama (Institute of Low Temeperature Science, Hokkaido
University), Prof. Per Holmlund (Stockholm University, Sweden，and swedish
members;
Suzanne Ingvander and Ivar Anderson.（photo by H. Enomoto）
Dr. Margareta Hansson hold me in the living module sledge on the Antarctic ice sheet. Left: Mr. Stefan
Gunnarsson.
（photo by H. Enomoto）
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In March 2009, Prof. Takahashi carried me to Internattional Arctic Research
Center (IARC) in Faibanks, Alaska.
Prof. Takahashi in semnar room in IARC (University of Alaska, Fairbanks)
asked audience
"How am I named in Jounal of Glaciology? （Photo by H. Enomoto).
In August 2009, yukimarimo cookies first visited Newcastle, UK to meet world famous glaciologists.
Photographs are kindly supplied by Prof. H. Enomoto of Kitami Institute of Technology, Japan.
Yukimarimo cookie with Dr.Ted Scambo and Mr. A. Muto (University of Colorado,
US).
（Photo by H. Enomoto).
Dr. Helgard Anschuetz (Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway)
and Mr. A. Muto (University of Colorado, US) （Photo by H. Enomoto).