It’s good to have a house in Antarctica

The closest neighbours are a colony of penguins — what amazing things Belarusian polar explorers have seen on the icy continent

Antarctica was discovered just over 200 years ago but interest in it has not waned to this day. This is a unique area for experiments and scientific observations of rare natural phenomena. Belarus is among the states seeking to expand their presence on the mysterious continent. After returning from another expedition, our polar explorers have shared what is remarkable about the Antarctic way of life and what tasks are being solved thousands of kilometres from their native land.

Belarus' National Academy of Sciences, polar explorers in Antarctica 

An introvert’s paradise

The Belarusian Antarctic station is located in the Eastern part of the continent, near Mountain Vechernyaya, on the coast of the Cosmonauts Sea. The location in the coastal zone is favourably distinguished by milder weather conditions than that in inland areas. The station has powerful modern infrastructure by polar standards. In addition to residential modules, there are diesel power plants for uninterrupted power supply, a fleet of vehicles, including snowmobile equipment for long-distance trips. The employees live in several modular houses. According to Yegor Korzun, a polar explorer and biologist, everyone has their own room and workplace. “The daily routine has been formed over the years. We get up at 7am, have breakfast at 7:30am. The composition of the expedition participants is selected in such a way as to close the majority of technical issues — a mechanic, an electrician, an installer. Everyone, including scientific staff, knows their own range of work before the start of the expedition,” he revealed the details. 
Sunday is a day off. Polar explorers often spend it together, strolling around the oasis or visiting their neighbours — a colony of the Adélie penguin. The most enjoyable thing after lunch is the bathhouse. However, they joke that a day off in Antarctica flies by as fast as in Belarus.

Photo provided by Belarusian polar explorer Yegor Korzun

Icebergs and the wind that knocks you down

Everyone knows that it is very cold in Antarctica. Yet, few people realise that the minimum temperature recorded on this continent is minus 79 degrees. Belarusian polar explorers are at the station during the Antarctic summer, which is a less harsh period in terms of the weather. In addition, the polar day is established in the summer months. Scientists claim that white nights in Antarctica are even more awesome than in St. Petersburg! All we can do is take their word for it. 
A person who comes to this continent for the first time is most impressed with icebergs and a huge space around. An equally interesting phenomenon is katabatic winds that can sometimes blow around the clock for weeks. “Katabatic winds bring powder snow, which covers houses overnight. That is why the doors at the polar stations always open inward. Otherwise, the house will get absolutely hammered with snow in a couple of hours so that you won’t dig it out,” Yegor Korzun disclosed a surprising fact.
Due to the isolation of Antarctica, the nature of the continent is unique. Many people dream of seeing whales and the polar explorers’ dream has come true. The sea giants weigh about 30 tonnes and grow up to 13-14 metres. “Moreover, there is an emperor penguin colony not far from our oasis, and they sometimes come to the station,” continued Yegor Korzun. “This is the largest species. The average height of an individual is about 150 centimetres. Emperor penguins live on sea ice and rarely set foot on land, so it is an incredible luck to see them near our station.”  
The south polar skua also nests in Antarctica. These birds have a nasty character — during scientific research, Yegor Korzun even received a couple of powerful wing slaps on the head. Skuas like hanging around in the kitchen during lunch time in the hope of getting delicious goodies. It is a pity the birds do not know that under the rules in Antarctica, they are not allowed to be fed.
Polar explorers often go fishing — this is for scientific purposes, because the fish is heavily contaminated. Here are some figures from the research: scientists caught 106 specimens of fish, which contained nearly 9,000 parasites.

Photo provided by Belarusian polar explorer Yegor Korzun

Expansion plan

Belarus is expanding the geography of research. During the expedition, a multi-day scientific trip took place to a remote and unexplored area of the Antarctic mainland, where the Nye mountain range is located. The length of the research route was about 700 kilometres! “The campaign lasted three days. We overcame two dangerous sections — the Hays and Rayner glaciers — and selected unique samples and specimens. It is incredible, but even in the ice desert, forms of biological life have been discovered,” Yegor Korzun recalled.
It is too early to talk about the scientific results of the expedition in detail. Samples and materials are still on board the ship. Soon they will arrive in St. Petersburg to be delivered to Minsk, as explained by Aleksei Gaidashov, head of Belarusian Antarctic expeditions, during a solemn meeting of polar explorers at the Academy of Sciences. The long-term task envisages a year-round expedition which Belarus is already approaching. The construction of the second stage of the Belarusian Antarctic station is planned to be completed in the next couple of years.

Breakthroughs are questionable

Extreme cold snap has been recorded in Antarctica. 
Despite the fact that last year was the hottest in the history of observations, extremely low temperatures — minus 79.4 degrees Celsius — were recorded in Antarctica during that period. There is no guarantee that the record will not be broken. Reaching the mark of below 50 degrees Celsius significantly complicates the work of research bases in Antarctica. In such conditions, flying on airplanes becomes unsafe.  

By Inna Gorbatenko