China to build inland research base at Antarctica.Byline: ANI London, Jan 7 (ANI): A Chinese expedition is all set to build an inland research base at Dome Argus, or 'Dome A', in Antarctica, 4,093 meters above sea level Meters Above Sea Level is a standard metric measurement of the elevation of a location in reference to mean sea level. Uses Meters above sea level is the standard measurement of the elevation or altitude of: According to a report in Nature News, Kunlun, the station, which is scheduled to open on January 28, will gather data in fields ranging from global climate change to the origin of the Universe. The 37 million dollars Kunlun will be China's third Antarctic station, joining the Great Wall station in the South Shetland Islands South Shetland Islands, barren, snow-covered archipelago off N Antarctic Peninsula, W Antarctica; Livingston and King George islands are the largest. The South Shetlands were bases for sealers in the 19th cent., whalers in the early 20th cent. and the Zhongshan station in east Antarctica. "The Kunlun station will be a major legacy of the International Polar Year The International Polar Year (or IPY) was a collaborative, international effort researching the polar regions. Karl Weyprecht, an Austro-Hungarian navy officer, motivated the endeavor, but died before it first occurred in 1882-1883. and will propel China to the heart of the Antarctic map," said Jean de Pomereu, a photographer who followed the expedition to Zhongshan for the Brussels-based International Polar Foundation. "It is absolutely fantastic to have a station there," said Eric Wolff, an ice-core specialist at the British Antarctic Survey Based in Cambridge, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is the United Kingdom's national Antarctic operator and has an active role in Antarctic affairs. BAS is part of the Natural Environment Research Council and has over 450 staff. in Cambridge, UK. On October 20, the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) sent its expedition team from Shanghai aboard the icebreaker Xue Long to the coastal Zhongshan station. Bad ice conditions delayed their arrival, but on December 18 - two weeks behind schedule - a 28-man 'inland team' began the nearly 1,300-kilometre traverse to Dome A. On arriving at Dome A this week, the expeditioners will have just 20 days to build the station before temperatures drop sharply to below -50 degrees Celsius in early February. At the end of this year's first phase of construction, Kunlun is expected to have a main building of 230 square metres, with 11 units for sleeping, eating and working. It will have space for up to 25 people, according to Qu Tanzhou, director of the CAA. Six more units are expected to be added next year, for a total area of 327 square meters. Over the next decade, China hopes to add more facilities to Kunlun, including a large fuel tank and a solar-panel array to provide additional power, and to eventually be able to operate year round. The CAA also plans to have its own aircraft in Antarctica to shuttle researchers between Zhongshan and Kunlun, increasing the research capacity at both stations. "Only with these logistics in place will we be able to make the most out of the station," said Qu. (ANI) Copyright 2008 Asian News International The Asian News International (ANI) agency provides multimedia news to China and 50 bureaus in India. It covers virtually all of South Asia since its foundation and presently claims, on its official website, to be the leading South Asia-wide news agency. (ANI) - All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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