Scientist in the Antarctic
Text, photos and videos: Enn Kaup
Translation: Liis from forum
The photos and videos are from Enn Kaup’s eighth expedition to the Antarctic, as a member of the 28th Indian Antarctic expedition, to the Larsemann and Schirmacher oases in the eastern part of the Antarctic from January 5 to March 24, 2009. Enn Kaup has investigated lakes at both sites on two earlier occasions.
1. The expedition vessel Emerald Sea travelled in the Antarctic Ocean on the route Cape Town – Larsemann Oasis – Schirmacher Oasis – Cape Town.
2. The work period in the Law-Racovita summer station in the Larsemann Oasis lasted 3 weeks. On January 31. the air temperature went up to +80 C, but on February 4-8, 50 cm of snow fell.
3. The primary research target was determination of the content of phosphorus and nitrogen compounds in the surface water flows running into the lakes with the aid of piezometers sunk into the thawed active layer (the ends of the plastic tubes can be seen in the photo).
4. On February 1 a meeting was held at the Chinese Zhong Shan station, to celebrate the opening of the Kunlun inland station on the Argos ice dome, at a height of 4087 m above sea level. Since this is 600 m higher than the Vostok station that until now holds the cold record for Earth surface temperatures (-89.2 degrees Celsius), new cold records can be expected from Kunlun.
5. Sunday morning, February 1, in the mess room at the Australian Davis Station. The men are reading Melbourne newspapers for the same day, sent electronically and printed at the station.
6. Afternoon, February 1, on Hop Island near the Davis station. The young of the about 7000 Adele penguin pairs are already quite big.
7. Determining water temperature and dissolved oxygen at a depth of 17 m at the site of India's station to be built on the lake in the Bharat Peninsula of the Larsemann Oasis. MSc Bhupesh Sharma acting as field assistant; the temperature at the bottom of the water column was 9o C.
8. On Estonia’s Indepence Day in the Schirmacher Oasis in front of the main building of India’s Maitri station, with the expedition’s PhD student, MSc student and PhD researcher.
9. In the mess room of the Novolazarevskaja station on March 6. There are regular TV transmissions from Moscow, at the moment the Russian President appears on the screen.
10. The exteriors and interiors of the buildings at the old Novolazarevskaja station (in use 1961-1980) have been renovated. They are also used by tourists arriving from Cape Town, who go on motor sleigh and aeroplane trips in the neighbourhood. The basic task of the ALCI company is however the transport of expedition members between Cape Town and Novolazarevskaja with the IL76 aeroplane, and transports to the polar stations of some ten different countries in Queen Maud’s Land with Basler-type aeroplanes. As an example the price of a return ticket from Cape Town to Novo and back is 6000 USD.
11. Birthday party moments at the Maitri station. It is remarkable that generally the alcohol consumption was very small and about half were abstainers but everybody was in high spirits all the same, and singing was particularly appreciated.
12. A view of the preliminary design of India's new station, in the Larsemann Oasis, by the German company who won the international design contest.
More about the expedition will be told at the Nature Evening at the Rahvusraamatukogu, National Library of Estonia, on Monday, April 27, 2009, at 6 pm.
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