PANDA & Dome A station: 25th Chinese Antarctic Expedition

The International Polar Foundation (IPF) is sending a science communication officer to take part in the 25th Chinese Antarctic Expedition (CHINARE).

Jean de Pomereu will be onboard Chinese research ice-breaker, Xue Long,and at China's East Antarctic research station, Zhongshan, between 8 November and 20 December 2008. As observer of an important new chapterin Antarctic research and history, he will be sending back regular reports to be listed here and published on SciencePoles.

This project is made possible thanks to a partnership between the IPF, the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA), and The Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC), within the spirit of international collaboration at the heart of Antarctic research, the Antarctic Treaty, and the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-08.

Reports will focus on:

• The expansion and modernisation of the Chinese Antarctic research infrastructure during the IPY and beyond. In particular:
  • The building of China's third Antarctic station, Kunlun, to be built at Dome Argus (Dome A) during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 Austral summers. At an altitude of 4,083 meters, Dome A is the culminating point of the East Antarctic ice sheet, and one of the remotest locations on Earth.
  • The modernisation of existing infrastructure at China's Zhongshan station
  • The refitting of research ice breaker, Xue Long
• Future research opportunities at Kunlun - Dome A station:
  • Deep ice coring and the retrieving of a 1 to 1.5 million year climate record
  • Mapping and remote examination of the Gamburtsev sub-glacial mountains and sub-glacial lake systems
  • East Antarctic ice sheet and dynamics - and it's possible impact on future sea level rise
  • Atmospheric monitoring
  • Astronomy and the development of Dome A as perhaps the Earth's best natural cosmic observatory
• Ongoing Chinese research in Antarctica during and beyond the IPY:
  • Glaciology, geology, oceanography and marine biology in the Prydz Bay, Amery Ice Shelf, Lambert Basin, and Dome A transect regions
  • Geology and meteorite collection in the Grove Mountains
  • Atmospheric monitoring, geomagnetic observations, meteorology and geophysics at Zhongshan station
• Historical and geopolitical perspective of Chinese research in Antarctica:
  • International collaboration during the IPY and beyond
  • Parallels with the development of US, Soviet, Japanese, and European inland station during the 1957-58 International Geophysical Year and later

Jean will also continue to report on continuing Chinese polar research activities after his return.

Timeline:

• 8-18 November 2008: Perth to Zhongshan Station onboard Xue Long RV
• 18 November - 8 December 2008: Zhongshan Station
• 8-18 December 2008: Zhongshan Station to Perth onboard Xue Long RV

Live Reports from Antarctica

• Accompanying China to Antarctica
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Xue Long (Snow Dragon)
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Southern Ocean
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Barrier of Sea-Ice
• Portrait of Mr Li Yuansheng: Leader of the Dome A Traverse and Construction Team
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: so near - so far
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: PLATO and the Future of Astronomy at Dome A
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Close Call
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Antarctica Rules - Zhongshan at last
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Ice, Ocean, and Atmosphere: Science at Zhongshan Station
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Frozen Grail: Dome A and the Future of Ice Coring in Antarctica
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Dome A Traverse and Kunlun Station
• Interview of Dr Huigen Yang, Director of the Polar Research Institute of China and Leader of CHINARE 25
• 25th CHINARE Expedition: Farewell to the Xue Long and CHINARE 25

Picture Gallery

• 25th CHINARE Expedition

Previous SciencePoles features and interviews related to Chinese polar research:

• Qu Tanzhou Interview: China's Growing Contribution to International Polar Research
• Professor Huigen Yang: Developing China's Polar Research Capacity
• Pandas and Snow Dragons: Chinese Polar Research During the IPY and Beyond
• Grand Designs: New Antarctic Stations Around the IPY 2007-08 - New Antarctic Stations
• Gamburtsev: Dr Robin Bell on Antarctica's Ghostly Mountains

Partners:

Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration

The Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) is affiliated to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) of China, and responsible for the organization of Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Scientific programmes, as well as logistics support for Chinese Antarctic expeditions.

Working within the principles and framework of Antarctic Treaty System, and supported by two year-round research stations, and one research ice breaker, Xue Long RV, CAA has been actively implementing Chinese scientific research programmes in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean for the past 25 years.

The Polar Research Institute of China

Founded in 1989, the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) carries out international cooperation and academic exchange activities, and is the Chinese center for polar research. The institute is in charge of key polar science laboratories at the State Oceanic Administration. Research at the institute focuses on polar glaciology, oceanographic science, upper atmospheric physics, biological science and polar information platform.

The institute has also established a Polar Snow Ice and Global Change Laboratory, Ionospheric Physics Laboratory, Auroral and Magnetospheric Physics Laboratory, Polar Organism Analytical Laboratory, Microorganism and Molecular Biology Analytical Laboratory, Biochemistry Analytical Laboratory, Polar Microbe Culture Collection and Shipboard Laboratory.

In addition, PRIC serves as the polar information center of China. It is responsible for the Chinese Polar Science Database, the polar information network, National Polar Archives of China, Polar Library, polar sample database, polar science journals, and the Polar Popular Museum.

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