Saroma-ko Lagoon, located on the Okhotsk Sea coast of Hokkaido, is seasonally covered by flat, homogeneous, easily accessible and safe sea ice. As such, it proves a very useful experimental site for the study of sea ice processes, the inter-comparison of methods, the testing of equipment, and the training of researchers new to the Polar regions. In this contribution, we describe a physical, chemical, and ecosystem survey at Saroma-ko Lagoon, conducted over February 23-28, 2019 under the auspices of the SLOPE2019 (Saroma-ko Lagoon Observations for sea ice Physico-chemistry and Ecosystems 2019) program. Sea ice cores were collected to examine temperature, salinity, oxygen isotopic ratio, thin sections, and chemical and biological parameters such as carbonate chemistry, CH₄, nutrients, chlorophyll a concentrations, and ice algae community assemblage. Broadband and spectral irradiance measurements were carried out above/under the sea ice, and different sensors were inter-compared at close positions and environments. Equipment such as spectrometers, air-sea ice CO₂/CH₄ flux chamber, and under-ice turbulent heat flux systems were tested for future Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. Finally, an artificial pool was dug into the sea ice to understand the effect of snow particles on ice growth and to compare the gas exchange process over sea ice with an ice-free water surface. Our SLOPE2019 field campaign activities provided useful information for inter-comparison work and future sea ice research in the polar oceans.

An atmosphere-sea ice-ocean interaction study was conducted at the Saroma-ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan from 27 February to 9 March 2021. Air-sea ice CO₂ flux measurements were conducted by eddy covariance and chamber methods together with meteorological observations. Sea ice cores were collected to understand the interaction between the atmosphere and under-ice water with respect to fluxes of heat and biogeochemical components. Physical and biogeochemical parameters such as temperature, salinity, ice structure, environmental DNA, and concentrations of gases, nutrients, and trace metals were measured. Under-ice water properties were monitored to quantify heat budgets and interactions with sea ice biogeochemical properties. Incubation experiments with ice algae were conducted. Equipment such as air-sea ice CO₂/CH₄ flux chambers, an eddy covariance system, a trace metal analyzer, and a pump and sampler for environmental DNA were tested and compared to prepare for future Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. In addition, movies and pictures were taken under the auspices of the educational program of Hokkaido University (LASBOS) to enhance educational programs in ocean science. The field campaign activities provided useful information for inter-comparison research and future studies of sea ice in polar oceans.