Belarusian Antarctic Expedition made its first scientific trip to previously unexplored area of Antarctica
Employees of the Belarusian Antarctic Expedition completed the first intracontinental scientific trip to a previously unexplored area of the mainland of Antarctica – Head of the 15th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition (15th BAE) Aleksei Gaidashov reports
“The length of the research route was 188km, and the area of testing and scientific research was about 210sq.km,” Aleksei Gaidashov said.
During the trip, the expedition members carried out ground and air survey of safe routes, took photos and videos, took samples of natural materials, and electronically recorded the GPS reference points of the research route track. Every two kilometres, the reference points of the route were fixed on the ground with fiducial markers with the state symbols of Belarus.
Aleksei Gaidashov proudly reports, “We reached the final (targeted) point of the route. This is the DSF mountain range, located in the depths of the continent in the co-ordinates of the highest point (1,451m above sea level). Upon arrival at the final (targeted) point of the route, survey work and topographic and geodetic referencing of the area were carried out using instruments and instrument complexes developed in scientific organisations of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. We also conducted a series of measurements of various parameters of the natural environment of the Antarctic, making samples of natural materials.”
Upon completion of the planned research programme, a group of employees of the 15th Belarusian Antarctic Expedition climbed the highest point of the DSF mountain range (1,451m above sea level), where the state flag of the Republic of Belarus, the flags of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and the Belarusian Trade Union of Education and Science Workers were raised. A commemorative capsule with state symbols, a list of employees of 15 BAE and a brief description of the scientific goals and objectives of our country in Antarctica was also laid.
