Marshrut of three-months swimming of NES "Academician Treshnikov", broken on three consecutive stages, provided for the first time within one international expedition of supervision on all main islands of the Antarctic region.
the idea of such project belongs to the polar researcher Paulsen Frederick. The Swede on the birth, he is known as the scientist, the businessman, the patron and the traveler. And for quite some time now - also the honourable consul Russian Federation in Lausanne. Having appeared in this quality, Paulsen Frederick suggested to combine efforts of the international researchers and organized in Lausanne, on the basis of Federal polytechnical school, the Swiss polar institute (Institut Polaire Suisse). And present Antarctic circumnavigation became the first project of institute.
Thought of it, were told by "RG" at the Arctic and Antarctic research institute Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, arose in the summer of 2015 when Paulsen Frederick visited Saint Petersburg and met the director of AANII Frolov Yvan. In their dialogue the concept of big international expedition around Antarctica with visit of all main islands also was born. As towards from the Russian side our vessel "Academician Treshnikov" was offered to use a step in the Antarctic circumnavigation.
That was farther than p, the deputy director of AANII Makarov Alexander tells:
- it is valid, similar expedition it was never carried out - that for one season to round Antarctica and to visit all main subantarctic islands. So large-scale project could not be realized by efforts of only one organization or even the country. For its implementation the technical committee into which representatives of the organizations responsible for the Antarctic programs Australia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France, South Africa entered was created. That is the countries which possess island territories on an expedition route.
by words Makarov Alexander, were included into the same committee representatives of AANII and already mentioned Swiss polar institute which was created in the spring of 2016 and assumed functions of the coordinator of expedition. Its scientific program was formed on the basis of open international competition of projects. In total more than hundred demands, including eleven of Russian Federation arrived. For participation in the Antarctic circumnavigation of jury of experts at meeting in Paris selected 22 projects. From the Russian passed one. It was presented by group under the leadership of the leading researcher of AANII Bolshiyanov Dimitri. The declared subject - "Evolution of ecosystems of subantarctic islands in the Holocene and their current state".
A of all the permit aboard "Academician Treshnikov" were received by more than 140 researchers from 30 countries. Range of researches which they conduct, very wide: glaciology, climatology, biology, oceanography. Scientists from the British Antarctic service (British Antarctic Survey) aimed to track as carbon absorption at the bottom of the Antarctic seas changes. Researches of scientists are directly connected with topical issues of climate change from the Swiss Institute Sherer Paul (Paul Scherrer Institute) and Institute of sea researches Spain (Institut de Ciencies del Mar). Plankton characteristics in the Antarctic circumpolar area and as it is connected with production of carbon set the purpose to study scientists France and United States of America.
Two thirds of the planned program were executed by p by February 22. This day the team of "Academician Treshnikov" under the leadership of the captain Karpenko Dimitri brought a forwarding vessel into the Chilean port Punta Arenas. There according to the plan partial change of scientific structure of expedition is made, stocks of products and water are grown stout, the equipment which is not planned to use at the third stage of expedition is unloaded.
on February 25, after a short respite in port, went further - to islands South Georgia and the Southern Sandvichev (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), and then - to Norwegian to Bouvet Island where the international team of researchers continued work. During movement onboard a vessel and in its laboratories continuous researches and supervision according to the scientific program were conducted.
On the way to the island South Georgia executed two oceanographic stations at depths of 1000 and 400 meters with sampling and application of a planktonic grid. On the second of March in the morning the vessel gave an anchor in a bay Cumberland-Ist, to four cable-laid from coastal line of the island South Georgia, in view of the settlement Grytviken. During the day there was a disembarkation to the coast of participants of expedition with use of the boats "Zodiac".
during works on the island are selected biological tests, geomorphological and paleogeografichesky researches near the lake Hamberg are executed. The group of glaciologists selected an ice 2,5 meters long core in glacier language Nordenskold.
For the first time since the flight beginning weather conditions allowed to make photometric observations on land. During parking of a vessel calibration of the equipment of an ekholotirovaniye is carried also out.
On the Third of March in the evening a vessel entered Rozit's bay and could anchor. The next morning passed into a bay of Saint-Andrus where stopped in two kilometers from the coast. On boats disembarkation to the coast of glaciologists, biologists and geomorphologists is made. The Glyatsiologichesky group selected an ice 3 meters long core in language of a glacier of Heaney. The Russian group of geomorphologists investigated sea terraces, and also thin ridges of glaciers of Heaney and Buxton among which at the height of 36-38 meters sea deposits are found.
On the Fourth of March in the second half of day transition in the direction of the South Sandwich Islands began p. To evening of a condition worsened to storm, planned for this day dredging of a bottom and oceanographic stations were not carried out. On the fifth of March the vessel continued movement at a speed of wind up to 25 m/s and height of waves to 9 meters.
approached in the Evening to the South Sandwich Islands on the sixth of March...
One Sunday Bolshiyanov Dimitri met twice
From the diary of the doctor of geographical sciences - from NES "Academician Treshnikov" board
In ices and snowfalls made the way on the East to the Balleny Islands which reached on February 3. It is the archipelago from three volcanic islands extended in the northwest direction. Islands represent ridges, up to 800 m high, blocked by glaciers.
of Glaciologists landed on South side of the island Young where they drilled a well of 16 meters in depth snow and firna from which there were 6 meters. Biologists and geomorphologists tried to land from boats on a good sand-and-shingle braid of the southern part of the island Young for what the boats "Zodiac" which brought researchers on a stormy sea for 5 km from a vessel were equipped. The braid good, low to 1 meter a wave ran on a prigluby sand-gravel beach, and on it penguins walked up and down and seals lay. But disembarkation was not. Conductors decided that is very dangerous to be unloaded in a setup of waves on the coast though all are dressed in saving suits and vests so, it is impossible what to drown …
***
Sunday February 5 lived twice since the vessel passed a meridian of 180 degrees. Very unusual day which proceeded 48 hours. On Sundays in the Russian Arctic and Antarctic moreplavaniye for breakfast serve fried eggs. But on the second Sunday fried eggs for breakfast did not give. Means, Sunday was artificial.
However in "second" approached on February 5 to Scott Island which settles down practically on the 180th meridian, but already in the western hemisphere. The island represents an exit of basalts above an ocean surface - the massif about a half a kilometer length, 54 m high and separate tower-shaped ostanets 62 m high - the rock Haggits. The southern part of the island is lowered - about 20 m, and on it the lednichok of the same thickness …
the Vessel all night long lies cut circles round the island, and next day visibility improved a little that made possible disembarkation … Took snow and ice samples from a glacier and new-fallen snow for studying isotope composition of water in a different look (water, snow, ice, water vapor), samples of basalts for geologists, and stay time on the island ended. Were there all about an hour. Very insignificant results.
However on lack of a layer of aeration - though any more or less considerable congestions of sand, gravel - the conclusion about very young age of the island arises with p with
. To it only some hundreds or first thousands of years. Scala rose from ocean abysses by memories of mankind, however, without being recorded in its chronicles. But there are nature chronicles, and they are not less important, than written down by the person. What huge forces stand behind this event!
***
on February 7-10 crossed the Ross Sea in the conditions of slabovetrenny weather and sun often leaving because of clouds. Sometimes there was a calm, but the ripple poorly shook a vessel. Here actively worked acoustics of the EXPERT project No. 14 which listen to blue whales. The area abounds with these enormous mammals, and scientists from the Australian Antarctic division in 205 hours recorded more than 14 thousand signals published by whales and ten more species of sea mammals for 205 hours of listening, in particular, on the water area of the Ross Sea …
by***
by on February 15, crossing the Amundsen Sea with oceanographic stations, atmosphere radio sounding, tracking waves and ices and other works, approached to Peter I Island. It is surrounded with not really wide belt of one-year ices unity to 8 points. Ice floes are occupied by the seals who are very dissatisfied that them disturbed. There is a lot of them. The vessel quietly approached to the island, and by two boats disembarkation of biologists and geomorphologists was made. From a vessel to the coast and back it was necessary to make the way through melkobity ice, parting forcibly ice floes. . .
Having performed works near and on Peter I Island, headed for Cape Horn - the southernmost tip South America. By the evening on February 16 said goodbye to icebergs. The last were very beautiful - in the form of locks of the snow queen. Passed an Antarctic Circle and on February 17 entered Drake Strait - the place of the World Ocean well-known for the violent storm. But us the passage passed without special adventures …
***
on February 20 turned round islands of the archipelago Ramires Diego waiting for permission to disembarkation. In the second half of day permission was got. Boats and helicopters carried out disembarkation to a small island of Gonzalo on which the Chilean meteorological station is located.
the Island, though represents a krutosklonny ridge with abrupt cliffs on the coastline, but all grew with a powerful grass with hummocks on which to move extremely difficult. Quarternary deposits are not present, there is only a soil layer lying on radical breeds - clay slates with quartz veins, the carbonate breeds crumpled in abrupt folds. Took samples of soil and biological from a small beach under station.
Having scared the presence of untamed birds (albatrosses, hawks) and having visited a hospitable meteorological station, returned on a vessel which headed to the passages conducting to port Punta Arenas...
/ Alexander Emelyanenkov