The team, participating in the 6th National Antarctic Science Expedition, carried out under the auspices of the Presidency, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and under the coordination of TÜBİTAK MAM Polar Research Institute, left behind an exhausting and exciting journey and a 7-day quarantine period to reach the continent.
After a 7-day quarantine period in Puerto Williams, which is the last point of settlement in the southern hemisphere. The team, which started their journey from Istanbul on January 21, with a flight that lasted approximately 2 hours, came to Antarctica’s King George Island.
The expedition team took measures to prevent the transport of non-native creatures to the continent by the Antarctic Environmental Protection Protocol. Before flying to the continent, the team carefully checked all their suitcases and clothes for possible residues and while getting off the plane, they cleaned their boots in a disinfectant solution and landed. On the way to Antarctica, 2 foreign scientists joined the team to realize their projects within the scope of cooperation with Portugal and Bulgaria.
The team, consisting of researchers from TUBITAK, Naval Forces Command, General Directorate of Maps, General Directorate of Meteorology, Anadolu Agency, research institutes, and universities, passed by boats to the Chilean flagged research ship Betanzos, off the coast of King George Island, where they will carry out their work for 30 days. After the crew settled on the ship, the first planning meeting regarding logistics and scientific activities was held under the coordination of the voyage leader and their assistants.
“We are here with our national equipments”
Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜBİTAK) MAM Polar Research Institute Director Prof. Dr. Burcu Özsoy said, “We are in King George at 62 south latitude, they will be transferred to Horseshoe island at 68 south latitude and they will carry out their scientific studies within 30 days. The difference of our expedition this year was to make it within the framework of the covid-19 measures. We delivered our expedition team to Antarctica without being affected in any way and by performing the quarantine processes, in a very serious epidemic.
Our team is currently in Antarctica, with a one-day quarantine in Santiago and an 8-day quarantine in Puerto Williams. Another aspect of this expedition is that we are here with our national equipment. She added that with the national equipment we have brought from Aselsan, Havelsan, TÜBİTAK Sage, we will not only ensure the health and safety of the voyage but also carry out the testing of this equipment.
“It is time to start the field work that we have been preparing for a year”
Özgün Oktar, assistant leader of the 6th National Antarctic Science Expedition said, the difficult parts of the pandemic and the journey have been left behind, which started on January 22 and reached the Antarctic continent on February 2, after passing 2 countries and 4 cities. It’s time to start the fieldwork that we have been preparing for a year. At the moment, our ship’s needs such as supplies, food, and fuel have been completed, after which a challenging sea journey awaits us for about 5 days.
We will see many science bases on our route, but unfortunately, we will not be visiting this year due to the pandemic. We will be isolated on our ship for the next month and go to Horseshoe Island, where our temporary science camp is located, and start our scientific activities with our 20-person expedition crew and 30-person ship crew.
14 scientific projects, of which 29 institutions are stakeholders, will be carried out.
Hasan Hakan Yavaşoğlu, deputy leader of the expedition in charge of science, stated that the TAE-VI expedition started under pandemic conditions. Also that 14 scientific projects will be carried out in the field of life sciences, earth sciences, and physical sciences, of which 29 institutions are stakeholders. Studies will be carried out on the biodiversity of Horseshoe Island, lichenified fungal flora, zooplankton species, geological development and atmospheric parameters, sea level, tectonic movements, glacier change, and snow thickness.
Scientific equipment for studies to be carried out approximately 15,000 km away from our country were tested during the quarantine period, their calibrations were renewed and their maintenance was carried out. In the last 5 years, 86 publications and dozens of scientific books and theses have been produced from the scientific studies carried out on the Antarctic continent. We will be on the field with projects that will contribute to national and international literature this year.
Participating in the science expedition, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University Department of Biology, Hydrobiology USA. Lecturer Prof. Dr. Okan Külköylüoğlu said, At the end of a period that we have been waiting for with curiosity and patience, we are on the Betanzos research ship off the coast of King George Island. Seeing penguins in the natural environment on the beach reminded us of where we were while we were getting to the ship with the boats used by two experienced people. We encountered the warm and close attention of the ship’s crew from the very first day.
Assoc. Dr. Hilal Ay who is joining the science expedition for the first time said, the longest and most tiring journey continues with the excitement of being close to discoveries. Looking out of the ship with curiosity, we see gray skies and the snow-covered white cliffs of King George Island. We are confident that we will make great discoveries that will illuminate our future in the coming days.
Istanbul Technical University Lecturer Dr. Mahmut Oğuz Selbesoğlu who is participating in the expedition for the second time this year, also said, 6. Today, when we embarked on our National Antarctic Science expedition, we embarked on a happy and proud adventure as a team, as well as excited for the work we will do on behalf of our country.
