ANTARCTICA
What attracts people to the Arctic? How can one strive for a place where cold and silence prevail? What was Antarctica for mankind in different epochs?
To explore these questions, the world community has repeatedly united under the aegis of the “International Polar Year”.
This is a period of simultaneous geophysical observations by the forces of a number of countries under a common program and unified methodology. There were four international polar years. Our unique photo-video material is about the last one, where we managed to visit.
To understand the goals, objectives, research, conduct, participants and results of the four epochs of exploration of the Earth’s poles, we recommend you to review the Presentation of the history of the project “International Polar Year” at the following link (Russian language). To review the official materials of the expeditions of the “International Polar Years 2008-2009” by downloading the document by following link (Russian language).
Participation and carrying out photo/video recording of the second stage of the 53rd seasonal Russian Antarctic Expedition (January – March 2008). The base of the expedition was the research ship “Akademik Fedorov”.
The Antarctic expedition was carried out by an international team: apart from the Russians the crew of the research ship included specialists from Australia and South Korea. Scientists from Austria, Germany, Belarus, Poland, USA and France, who worked at the polar stations, also participated in the expedition. One of the main tasks of the expedition was to conduct hydrological and hydrochemical research from the ship in the waters of the Antarctic continent.
Carrying out a series of observations under the Australian Ocean Bioproductivity Monitoring Program (Continuous Plankton Registration Program)
Delivery of water samples from the great depths of the Southern Ocean
Studying the chemical composition, physical properties of water, and its organic and inorganic impurities
Conducting samples of hydrobiology, benthos (a combination of organisms living on and within the ground), and bottom ground samples
Measurement of aerosol concentration and its optical characteristics
According to scientists, the most valuable data were obtained as a result of microbiological studies of the anthropogenic load of polar stations on the environment, including the Leningradskaya, Russkaya and Bellingshausen stations mothballed in the early 1990s.
The Soviet Antarctic station Leningradskaya was temporarily closed down on 31.03.1991. From that moment the Leningradskaya station had not been visited by marine and air crafts, which operated in the SAE¹ – RAE² until 23.01.2008.
On January 23, 2008, personnel of the 53rd seasonal RAE from the board of the research ship “Akademik Fedorov” arrived to this station by helicopter for the first time after a 15-year break.
¹ Soviet Antarctic Expedition
² Russian Antarctic Expedition
Expedition personnel of Leningradskaya base
– Logistics: Martyanov V.L., Moroz A.A., Zatsepin B.M., Vologdin S.A., Malikova I.V., I. Gan,
– Group of Meteorology: Turkeev A.V., Alexandrov V. Y., Kochetygov Y. A.,
– Geodesy Group: Tomonov A. S., Gavrilov I. G., E. Lutz, H. Ewert, Abramov A. A., Kraev G. N.,
– Biology group: Andreev M. P., Dorozhkina M. V., Gavrilo M. V., Chupin A. A.,
– Ecology group: Pomelov V. N., Abakumov B. V.,
– Curator group: Kuznetsov V. L., Savatyugin L. M., Gilichinsky D. A., S. Poter.
Abramov A. A. was appointed head of the Leningradskaya base for the period of work.
INFORMATION
– Pomelov V. N. – chief ecologist of RAE,
– Abramov A. A. – head of the permafrost team,
– Turkeev A.V. – Leading engineer meteorologist- instrument maker,
– Moroz A. A. – leading engineer on technical support,
– Tomonov A.S. – geodetic engineer.
Expeditionary staff of Russkaya base
– Aerodrome group: Martyanov V.L., Orup A.A., Zatsepin B.M., Moroz A.A.,
– Meteorology group: Turkeev A.V., Aleksandrov V.Y., Kochetygov Y. A.,
– Geodesy group: Tomonov A. S., Gavrilov I. G., E. Lutz, H. Ewert,
– Permafrost group: Abramov A. A., Gilichinsky D. A., Kraev G. N., Mamykin V. G.,
– Biology Group: Andreev M. P., Dorozhkina M. V., Gavrilo M. V., Chupin A. A.,
– Coastal oceanology group: Kuznetsov V. L., Smirnov R. V., Potin V. V., Tikhonenkov D. V.,
– Ecological group: Pomelov V.N., Abakumov B.V., Mikhailova V.Y.
During the period of the flights to Russkaya station, the seasonal personnel remaining onboard the ship together with the scientific-technical service performed integrated hydrological sounding to the bottom with sampling of water, krill and bottom soil.
The work at the station was carried out from February 7 to 10, 2008.
Locations: polar stations “Leningradskaya”, “Russkaya” and “Bellingshausen”. Recorded 30 hours of unique video-audio material.
Installation of equipment of automatic satellite geodetic station (AGS)
Testing of instruments for the astronomical geodetic network
Installation of automatic weather-station equipment (AWS) on solar batteries
Permafrost monitoring. Permafrost team is preparing a borehole at the bottom of a deep ravine 600 meters north of Russkaya station
On 20 February the ship entered Maxwell Bay and approached the area of Bellingshausen station. At the entrance of the ship into the bay, a helicopter is equipped, which transports 14 people of the Korean expedition to King Sejong Station.
The Scientific research ship works in the area of Bellingshausen station, February, 2008:
– Unloading and delivery to the station by barge “Amderma” of the general cargo for the station;
– Helicopter delivery of cargo with transfer from the ship tank to the helipad of diesel generators, barrels of fuel and technical oils ¹;
– Helicopter delivery to the station of food and expeditionary equipment for the group of permafrost scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
– Pumping diesel fuel (Australia) to onshore tanks via fuel pipeline provided by the station;
– Carrying out planned seasonal researches and works (ecology, coastal hydrology, oceanology, microbiology, telemedicine, maintenance of meteorological equipment of the station);
– 22 February on the day of the 40th anniversary of Bellingshausen station – rotation of the wintering personnel of Bellingshausen station and delivery of seasonal RAE specialists to the station.
Seasonal staff of the expedition participating in the work at Bellingshausen station during the stay of the research ship “Akademik Fedorov”:
– Kuznetsov V.L. – coastal hydrology,
– Smirnov R.V., Potin V.V. – hydrobiology,
– Pomelov V. N. and Abakumov E. V. – ecology,
– Chupin A. A., Gavrilo M. V., Dorozhkina M. V. – biology,
– Mikhailova V. Y. – telemedicine,
– Turkeev A. V. – meteorological equipment,
– Venderovich V.M., Martyanov V.L., Vologdin S.A., Malikova I.V. – logistics
The expedition and station management discuss the details of the operations ² for organization of the operations at the pier of the station “Great Wall” in Hydrographic Bay, operation of the zodiac boats, barge, ground transport vehicles and helicopter landing sites.
¹ established working contact with the airfield dispatcher of the Chilean base “President Eduardo Frei” in order to follow his instructions on flight safety
² the hose line at the oil depot is being prepared, coordinating actions with the Chinese expedition for the transportation of loaded containers with barrels of waste from the pier of the Chinese station to the ship (within the framework of international agreements on protection of the Antarctic environment)
