By Veronica Bogomazova
Belarus’ National Centre for Polar Research has announced that Belarusian polar specialists are to continue exploring the Antarctic as part of the Russian Antarctic expedition. They are now heading for the Progress Polar Station, aboard the Academic Fedorov, to conduct new scientific investigations.
Alexey Gaidashev and Yuri Giginyak set off for the Antarctic from Belarus last December, aiming to study the biological diversity of this ice continent. At the Progress Station, they will monitor Antarctic animals: their habits and relation with the environment. Simultaneously, they’ll continue studying the Antarctic waters and ice, atmospheric composition and the local ozone layer. Equipment especially developed by Belarusian scientists is to be used for these seasonal experiments — able to work at low temperatures.
The specialists are to appraise the condition of the equipment and life support systems being used at the Vechernyaya Mountain Station (where Belarusian polar expeditions are based). The National Centre for Polar Research tells us that ‘work is already done, with results to be announced later’.
The men will return from the Antarctic in late February.
