Ski hut.DIVIDED: The new research base will have different sections that serve as housing and science labs.Britain's new Antarctic research station is no ordinary science lab. When completed in 2008, the entire base--called Halley VI--will be mounted on 37 pairs of 3.3 meter (11 foot)-long steel skis. Why the skis? The base--used to study Interactions among Earth's atmosphere “Air” redirects here. For other uses, see Air (disambiguation). Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earth's gravity. It contains roughly (by molar content/volume) 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0. , ocean, and ice--will be located on a flowing ice shelf. This massive sheet of floating ice extends off Antarctica's coast. Its tip can break off, or calve calve act of parturition by a cow or other mammal producing a calf as offspring. , and sail away as a floating iceberg. "Calving calving act of parturition in a bovine female, and presumably in any animal that bears a calf as its newborn. See also block calving, ease of calving. calving-to-conception interval could bring the ice edge too close to Halley VI," says Antarctic researcher Andy Smith. That would put the base in danger of floating away atop an iceberg or plunging into the frigid frig·id adj. 1. Extremely cold. 2. Persistently averse to sexual intercourse. ocean. If Halley VI's ice edge starts to get too near, tractors will be able to tow the ski-riding station inland, to safer ground. |
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