The "DotStar" Team of the Department of Atmospheric Science successfully flew around severe typhoon Sepat on August 16th at 4 a.m., and completed its 423th mission of GPS dropsonde measurement. Through this state-of-the-art strategic observation method, NTU's Atmospheric Science Department was able to transmit typhoon data to the weather bureaus and research agencies of various countries to aid in their path and structural analyses of Typhoon Sepat, and efficiently improve its numerical simulation and its degree of predictability.

From September 2003 till now, The "DotStar" Team, led by Professor Chun-Chieh Wu of the Atmospheric Science Department, has completed 26 aircraft reconnaissance and dropsonde observation missions for 22 typhoons. The dropsonde experiment team members so far have already published several significant, and milestone-setting theses in international journals and seminars. In addition, they have successfully constructed an important platform for observing other special meteorological phenomena, such as: upper atmosphere lightning, southwesterly flow, air pollution and cloud microphysics.

The "DotStar" project has received attention from international weather research agencies. The Japanese government, for example, passed an act to set up a similar typhoon study project called "Typhoon Hunting" in 2007. In 2008, the Japanese "Typhoon Hunting" project will work closely with NTU's. "DotStar" Team to conduct strategic typhoon observation.

For more information about the "DotStar" Project and its observation results, please go to: http://typhoon.as.ntu.edu.tw/DOTSTAR/home2_chinese.htm