The scientific delegation, which carried out the 6th National Antarctica Science Expedition, reached the temporary Turkish Science Base is located in Horseshoe Island, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the coordination of the TÜBİTAK MAM Polar Research Institute.
After reaching the Antarctic continent, the Turkish scientific team went south, passing the Gerlanche Strait, then the Lemarie Channel and Penola Strait, passing the Livingston Island, where the Bulgarian station is located, and then the Bransfield Strait.
Large and shattered icebergs in the Penola Strait and Grandidier Channel made it difficult for the ship to proceed in a straight line. The Betanzos vessel, cruising between ice floes and icebergs, slowed down in areas where ice floes were dense and passed through these points without any problems with its special crew on the ship watching the ice.
During the expedition, humpback whales, penguins, and seals accompanied the ship where the scientific delegation was.
“The measurements at the geodynamic points we will make are scientifically important”
Weather conditions and temperatures below zero degrees in Antarctica were sometimes challenging for the expedition participants. The ship arrived at Dismal Island, continuing to sail with a wind speed exceeding 100 km/h, where the GNSS station operated by the General Directorate of Mapping is located, on February 10.
The first fixed Global Positioning Satellite Systems (GNSS) outside Turkey’s borders were installed on Dismal Island, in 2020, which is 73 kilometers from Horseshoe Island.
Engineer Captain İlyas Akpınar from the Geodesy Department of the General Directorate of Maps, who was part of the 20-person science team for GNSS maintenance and repair works and to get the recorded information, stated that they were on Dismal Island within the scope of the 6th National Antarctic Science Expedition and added, It deals with the gravity field. In addition to determining our current location, GNSS Global Positioning Satellite Systems can be used to solve the navigation problem, detect changes in sea level, as well as to detect and monitor tectonic activity.
Akpınar stated that during the 3rd National Antarctic Science Expedition carried out by Turkey, geodynamic points were established on both Dismal Island and Horseshoe Island in the Antarctic continent in 2019, and GNSS observations of 4 to 12 hours were carried out at these points.
In the 4th expedition, our fixed GNSS station was established on Dismal Island, on which we are located in 2020. Turkey has 3 stabled GNSS stations in this region, on the Antarctic continent. One of them is on Dismal Island, which we are on, and the other two are on Horseshoe Island. We are currently in Antarctica, but not on the mainland. Therefore, the measurements we have made are important in terms of detecting not only the mainland but also the tectonic changes related to the oceans around the mainland.
The Antarctic Plate is a tectonic plate that is in constant motion and is constantly changing due to earthquakes caused by impacts. It includes not only the Antarctic mainland but also some of the surrounding oceans. Therefore, the fact that our station is located on Dismal Island, on which we are located, is important for the detection of the movement of the Antarctic plate. It will also enable us to contribute to the Antarctic earth sciences literature. We can characterize both the observations made by our fixed GNSS station and the measurements we will make at geodynamic points in this region today and in the future as scientifically important.
Akpınar stated that the regional speed range can be determined using fixed GNSS stations, and this can be done very precisely at the millimeter level. Reported that there are fixed GNSS stations in this region that make long-term observations.
Akpınar, we also have 3 GNSS stations in Antarctica. We conduct GNSS observations at geodynamic points when we organize scientific expeditions to this region at the same time. It will be possible to observe primarily the velocity field and then the tectonic activity for this region, by using all these measurements.
“14 scientific projects will be carried out during the execution of our expedition”
After the maintenance, repair, and recording of information at the GNSS station on Dismal Island, the Turkish scientific delegation continued its journey and reached Horseshoe Island, where the temporary Turkish Science Camp is located.
After the journey that lasted for 21 days, the expedition team of 20 people and more than 2 tons of logistics materials arrived at the Turkish Temporary Science Camp is located, and the fieldwork began on Horseshoe Island, on February 11.
The Turkish flag was hoisted by singing the National Anthem after the scientists reached the base. Hasan Hakan Yavaşoğlu, Deputy Leader of the Expedition Responsible for Science, gave a tour of the region to the scientific committee. The scientific committee carried out a feasibility study on the regions where it will conduct research.
Hasan Hakan Yavaşoğlu stated that they arrived at Horseshoe Island after a long journey of 21 days and reported the following.
We are conducting the 6th National Antarctic Science Expedition this year. The expedition had to be made during the Kovid-19 process. Due to this situation, we had a 7-day quarantine in Puerto Williams, Chile. After that, we went to the ship from King George Island and reached Dismal Island and then Horseshoe Island. Our team is currently completing reconnaissance in the field. We will start our scientific studies starting today. 14 scientific projects will be carried out during the execution of our expedition. We are with our professors who will mainly work on life sciences, physical sciences, and earth sciences. The weather on Horseshoe Island is quite favorable right now. Everyone is fully motivated and ready to work.
Foreign guest of the science expedition
After leaving King George Island, the first stop of the sea voyage that started on the Betanzos ship, the Bulgarian St. Kliment Ohridski station, unfortunately, Turkish scientists could not visit this base within the scope of Covid-19 measures.
Within the scope of the cooperation between the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute and the TUBITAK MAM Polar Research Institute, St. Oleg Vassiliev, who served as the station leader of Kliment Ohridski, joined the 6th National Antarctic Science Expedition team by coming to the ship with Turkish scientists by a boat from their island.