China sets up third Antarctic research station
January 28th, 2009 - 6:23 pm ICT by IANSBeijing, Jan 28 (Xinhua) China has set up its third Antarctic research station, also the country’s first on the continent’s inland.The Kunlun station was erected at Dome Argus (Dome A), the pole’s highest icecap at 4,093 metres above the sea level, Tuesday by the country’s 25th expedition team to the South Pole.
Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a congratulatory telegram to the team, saying that the construction of the station will help China further improve scientific research on the continent.
“It is another great contribution by our country to the human being to unveil the Antarctic mystery,” said Hu.
He encouraged the scientists to make persistent efforts on their research, improve international cooperation, and strive to achieve more scientific results to make greater contributions to human research and the peaceful use of the South Pole.
The Kunlun station is designed to cover an area of 558.56 square meters. Its main construction, covering 236 square meters, will be completed by April, when the expedition team is expected to return.
The station will be used to study glaciology, astronomy, topology, geophysics, atmospheric science and space physics in the Antarctic inland.
It will also be used to explore deep glacier ice core and mountains under the Antarctic ice, and carry out astronomical and terrestrial magnetic observation. It will also research data collected from satellites.
Other studies will include the effects of extreme weather on human psychology and physiology, and medical supplies, equipment and pharmaceuticals.
Chinese researchers made their first trip to Dome A in January 2005. In January 2008, another Chinese Antarctic expedition went there to prepare for the construction of the Kunlun station.
China has so far built two research stations in Antarctica.
The Changcheng (Great-Wall) Station, founded in February 1985, is located south of King George Island. The Zhongshan Station, built in February 1989, is located south of Prydz Bay on the Mirror Peninsula, eastern of Larsemann Hills.
Six countries, including the US, Russia, Japan, France, Italy and Germany, have built inland research stations in the Antarctic.
- Third Chinese research station comes up in Antarctic - Jan 29, 2009
- China becomes first country to set foot on highest ice cap on Antarctic - Apr 11, 2009
- China aims to build its first inland Antarctic research station - Dec 19, 2008
- China to build inland research base at Antarctica - Jan 07, 2009
- China to build its first inland Antarctic research station in 2009 - Apr 21, 2008
- China to launch eight Antarctic, Arctic expeditions - Sep 25, 2011
- China opens first research station in inland Antarctica - Feb 03, 2009
- China installs largest optical telescope in Antarctica - Apr 19, 2012
- China mulls Antarctic protection law - Feb 16, 2012
- China's first icebreaker to be made by 2013 - Oct 26, 2011
- India launches its first South Pole expedition Monday - Oct 31, 2010
- India's launches its first South Pole expedition - Nov 01, 2010
- China to complete first inland Antarctic station next year - Apr 20, 2008
- Indian scientists traversed shortest path to South Pole - Jan 11, 2011
- China to conduct 5th Arctic expedition in 2012 - Mar 06, 2012
Tags: antarctic expedition, antarctic ice, atmospheric science, chinese president hu, chinese president hu jintao, chinese researchers, congratulatory telegram, extreme weather, glacier ice, glaciology, hu jintao, human psychology, international cooperation, main construction, persistent efforts, president hu jintao, psychology and physiology, research stations in antarctica, south pole, space physics