The members of the seasonal expedition departed for Akademik Vernadsky station. Their long journey from Kyiv to Antarctica began today, November 24, 2025.
The team consists of scientists and technicians. They will work in Antarctica for several months during the summer (remember, the seasons are always opposite in the two hemispheres).
The team of technical specialists will be responsible for:
- primarily, the planned repair of the station roof;
- construction of a permanent pipeline from the berth to the fuel tank to prevent accidental contamination;
- reconstruction of the fuel and lubricant storage area;
- grounding of equipment inside the station.
These works are urgent, because the safety of polar explorers at Vernadsky depends on them.
The seasonal team of scientists includes biologists, oceanographers, geologists, and geophysicists. Their main task will be sampling and equipment setup.
Scientists will continue their work both on land and in the ocean, from Noosfera vessel. The collected samples will be analyzed in advanced laboratories not only in Ukraine but also in other countries as part of international collaboration.
What will the researchers focus on?
Biologists will collect samples of bacterioplankton, zooplankton, and phytoplankton to analyze their ecological DNA and better understand the phenomenon of ocean blooms. Phytoplankton is crucial to ocean health, producing about half of the world’s oxygen and serving as the base of the marine food chain (as the primary food source for krill).
Oceanographers will “catch” hot underwater waves, which, like the phenomenon of “atmospheric rivers,” can lead to significant warming of ocean waters and melting of glaciers.
Geologists will take samples of bottom sediments and rocks to reconstruct the paleoclimate. This will help us understand how periods of warming and cooling changed millions and thousands of years ago.
Geophysicists will install and set up new devices to measure the geomagnetic field and seismic activity.
The seasonal team is expected to board Noosfera in Punta Arenas, Chile, at the end of November and reach Vernadsky in the first half of December. There, the wintering crew of the 30th UAE, who have been working at the station since March, are eagerly awaiting their arrival.
We wish the seasonal team a successful journey and the achievement of all planned results!
Photo: Yuriy Shepeta, Anna Torgonenko, Olena Marushevska
