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Mining University Scientists Reach Antarctica Shores

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© Форпост Северо-Запад / На фото слева направо: Васильев, Шадрин (нижний ряд), Кадочников, Сербин, Большунов, Дмитриев, Игнатьев (верхний ряд)

They are now at the coastal research station Progress. The first group of polar explorers is scheduled to depart for Vostok station on Thursday, December 23.

Twelve-day passage Cape Town-Antarctica, according to the plans of the 67th Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE), was to end approximately 110 kilometres from land, in the Commonwealth Sea. However, due to successful ice conditions, the Akademik Fedorov managed to get 30 km closer to the White Continent, after which the ship stood on landfast ice.

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© Форпост Северо-Запад

The delivery of people and cargo to the mainland was carried out by helicopter K-32. This required several flights. According to Vyacheslav Kadochnikov, a leading engineer at St. Petersburg Mining University, the scientists were accompanied by their colleagues, who were on their way to other stations, as well as “curious penguins, who came to the ship in whole families, waving their wings and shouting something in their language”.

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© Форпост Северо-Запад

“The Antarctic coast near Progress resembles the surface of Mars - the local topography is formed by weathered rocks of brown-orange-gray color. Vegetation is completely absent here. Together with research equipment and satellite antennas protected by spherical shells from wind and snow load, it gives the surrounding area a futuristic look, bringing thoughts of future colonization of other planets,” shared his first impressions Vyacheslav Kadochnikov.

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© Форпост Северо-Запад

The station chief Alexey Zyl held an introductory briefing for the newcomers, explaining the basic safety rules, after which the reception, sorting, and stockpiling of food products to be delivered to Vostok by the sledge-caterpillar trek began. These supplies are needed to organize the wintering of the 67th RAE and the seasonal work of the next expedition in 2022/23.

“The weather on Progress is sunny, but it is very windy. In our spare time, we can go out of the station territory in organized groups. It is essential to have a set of radio equipment so that in case of an emergency we can inform the radio operators and call for help. During one of such walks along the coast, a penguin Adelie, about 50 cm high (a flightless bird, one of the most common species of penguins - ed.), came running toward us. He was looking at us curiously and even ‘talked’ to us a bit. Later we met the adult female seal of three meters and her baby seal, not more than a meter in length. According to the rules of conduct in Antarctica, it is forbidden to come closer than 20 meters to seals with their offspring, but even this distance was enough to admire the animals in their natural habitat,” said a postgraduate student of Mining University Dmitry Vasiliev.

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© Форпост Северо-Запад
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© Форпост Северо-Запад
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© Форпост Северо-Запад

Four of the seven scientists from St. Petersburg Mining University are participating in the Antarctic expedition for the first time. Everything is new for them: the harsh landscapes of the White Continent, the powerful storms through which the “Akademik Fedorov” sailed on the Atlantic Ocean, and the training of the vestibular apparatus, necessary to better tolerate rocking.

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© Форпост Северо-Запад
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© Форпост Северо-Запад

“Our older colleagues endured the seasickness quite well, after all, this was not the first time they had traveled by sea. But we had to train our vestibular apparatus,” recalls the vicissitudes of the trip from St. Petersburg to Progress station Vyacheslav Kadochnikov. “An interesting observation: health is affected only by a certain frequency of vibration, and it is different for all people. Someone gets ill with frequent rocking, and someone, on the contrary, with prolonged rocking which is related to the wavelength and period of vibration. However, after a few days, everyone gets used to it and feels quite well, though more sleepy”.

Another vivid memory was leaving the Atlantic for the Indian Ocean. At this point, the temperature dropped precipitously and there was snow on the deck. A few more days later, at latitude 55, the young polar explorers saw for the first time an iceberg.

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© Форпост Северо-Запад

“This ice plateau without sharp peaks, like a giant cube of white ice, shining azure from below, floated parallel to our vessel at an impressively safe distance. Further on we met icebergs more and more often, of various, and even bizarre shapes. One had a sharp top, like in the “Titanic” movie, another was like an inverted beaker, the third resembled the head of a giant tortoise. It’s at times like this that one is astounded at how amazing and diverse nature is. We also encountered a family of whales along the way. They would shoot up fountains of water and then dive back into the water. After swimming a few nautical miles with us, whales left in the other direction,” recalls Vyacheslav Kadochnikov.

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This season, the maximum number of scientists since Soviet times - 12 people, seven of whom represent St. Petersburg Mining University - will go to the Russian research station Vostok, located on the White Continent. Forpost asked the university’s rector Vladimir Litvinenko to tell what tasks the polar explorers face and explain whether the research in the coldest place on Earth can help mankind reduce its carbon footprint.

Alexey Bolshunov, head of the research party at St. Petersburg University specified that the flight to Vostok station was postponed for about 5 days due to difficult weather conditions. At this time it is known that the plane “Busler” is to leave for the flight to the “Pole of cold” on December 23. It will take there the first group of specialists, consisting of the most experienced scientists who have already been to the White Continent. They will have to reactivate the drilling rig and prepare the borehole above the subglacial Lake Vostok for work. The others will arrive at the station a little later, depending on weather conditions.