The 69th Russian Antarctic Expedition completed its work at the South Pole
Specialists summed up the work of the 69th Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. Let us remind you that the season of work of polar explorers at the South Pole of the Earth ends with the onset of the winter season, which is now observed in Antarctica.
As reported to MK by the AARI, in seven months 4,300 tons of necessary cargo were delivered to Antarctica: fuel, food.
The expedition members carried out 46 scientific programs. One of them is an oceanographic section (a vertical section of the sea, reflecting the distribution of any characteristics of sea water in this plane) in Prydz Bay along the meridian of 70 degrees east longitude. Oceanographers concluded that deep waters in the area of the continental slope are warming: compared to the period from 2003 to 2016, its temperature increased by 0.2 degrees. Under the influence of such warm waters, the ice cover (degree of ice coverage) of the Commonwealth Sea in the summer decreased to a record level.
AARI scientists who explored the depths of the Southern Ocean discovered mineral inclusions in the ice of Central Antarctica at a depth of 3,608 meters. There is ice there that is 1.2 million years old, from which scientists can reconstruct the conditions that existed on our planet in the distant past. Cores of the oldest ice with minerals frozen in it will be sent in July to St. Petersburg, where they will be studied in the institute’s laboratory.
About 800 specialists worked as part of the 69th RAE, including scientific and technical personnel, scientists, crews of aircraft and ships.