Friday, 15 October 2010 08:58
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The Russian polar expedition has recently found a suitable floe for the SP-38 drifting station and has landed on it. The station is to begin its work on October 15.
The Rosssiya nuclear ice-breaker has brought hundreds of tons of supplies and equipment, which are now being unloaded on the 1,5 thousand square metres occupied by the station. Researchers will study the processes and factors affecting the climate change currently taking place in the central Arctic, and estimate their effect on the natural environment and ecosystems of the region, says the head of the Arctic expedition Nikolay Adamovich.
The SP-38 is to monitor meteorology and the environment of the Central Arctic basin. 300 tons of equipment have been brought for meteorological and oceanic research. For the first time, a drone vehicle will be used to get data on ice conditions.
Scientists were lucky to find a suitable floe after only several days of searching in the ocean. It's become a challenge due to global warming. A team of specialists flew over the area, landing on potentially suitable ice floes and studying them in detail to find one thick enough for 15 scientists and the equipment. The one chosen is 3 meters thick and sufficiently old.
The 7th Arctic expedition will spend a year on the floe. The world's fist station, the North Pole, was opened on June 6, 1937. Since 1954 Soviet stations were regular and their work was suspended only in 1992 to be resumed in 2003.