The annual yearly expedition rotation at Vernadsky has concluded. The 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition has fully commenced operations at the station, while the 30th UAE has departed home.
A long journey awaits the polar explorers. First, our vessel “Noosfera” will take them to the port of Punta Arenas in Chile. From there, the team will fly to Poland and then travel by bus to Ukraine.
As a reminder, the 30th expedition spent a year working at Vernadsky base. Its members conducted research in three main areas: geophysics, meteorology, and biology, while also supporting the station’s operations.
First and foremost, the team ensured the collection, processing, and transmission of data, most of which represent the longest time series in Antarctica. These data are used worldwide to track global processes affecting our planet.
For example, thanks to observations of atmospheric ozone levels (which have been ongoing at the station since 1957), a positive trend was recorded last year regarding the “closing” of the ozone hole over Antarctica. It closed not only earlier than expected but also earlier than at any time since 2019.
Another measurement, on the contrary, confirmed a concerning trend of warming in Antarctica. Last year, the sea water temperature near our station never dropped below freezing, and no stable ice cover formed around the island.
In addition to carrying out the scientific program, the 30th expedition actively participated in international cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and science outreach. In particular, participants of the First Mexican Antarctic Expedition worked at Vernadsky Station alongside Ukrainian scientists. This is important not only from the perspective of scientific collaboration but also as a tool of our “soft power” in the Global South.
Additionally, the 30th expedition’s polar researchers welcomed nearly 2,000 tourists from various parts of the world (of course, excluding Russia and Belarus) to the station and held over 130 online meetings for schoolchildren.
Now, the 31st expedition has taken up the Ukrainian Antarctic mission.
The head of the 30th UAE, Oleksandr Poluden, handed over a symbolic key to Vernadsky base to his successor, Anzhelika Hanchuk. They also jointly signed the station handover document and changed the flags on the flagpole.
Photo: Yuriy Shepeta, Kirilo Sulima.
