China opens the 4th Antarctic research base

[amoy]

China opens Antarctic research base |Sci-Tech |chinadaily.com.cn

China completes its fourth Antarctic research station, Taishan, which is expected to run for the next 15 years. Provided to China Daily

The Taishan station looks like a traditional Chinese lantern. It is located at 76 degrees, 58 minutes east longitude and 73 degrees, 51 minutes south latitude on the East Antarctic inland ice sheet. It is situated at an altitude of 2,621 meters.

The site is between Zhongshan and Kunlun stations, and the annual average temperature at its location is -36.6 C.

The country's first Antarctic expedition in 1984 was the first step toward establishing the four research centers on the continent - Great Wall, Zhongshan, Kunlun and, now, Taishan. The first station, Great Wall, opened in 1985.

 

[amoy]

China's first polar fixed-wing aircraft arrives at research station in Antarctica
10:25, December 02, 2015

Following the icebreaker "Xuelong" and the all-terrain vehicle of the same name, China has for the first time sent a fixed-wing aircraft to the South Pole. The "Xueying" will be tested in the next few days.

According to the State Marine Office, China's first polar fixed-wing aircraft, the "Xueying 601", arrived at the airport near China's first research station in Antarctica on Monday.

The "Xueying 601" - or "Snow Eagle" in English- took off on Nov. 15 from Canada. Eightdays later, it arrived at the British research station "Rothera". On Nov. 26, the "Xueying" arrived at the South Pole. Carrying three crew members, the aircraft finally arrived at Chinese research station "Zhongshan" Monday, after a journey of seven hours and 46minutes from the South Pole.

The scientists will test the flight characteristics of the fixed-wing aircraft under the climatic conditions of Antarctica. They will also test the performance of the aircraft's equipment including the ice radar, the gravimeter and magnetometer.

The research station Zhongshan serves as the base for testing. The first mission of “Xueying" includes flights to another two Chinese research stations "Kunlun" and "Taishan" and for the Australian Station "Casey". It will also complete the scientific studyof the Princess Elisabeth Land near the "Taishan" station.

Fixed wing aircraft are designed for fast transport and emergency rescue. They are therefore eminently suitable for research purposes. So far, only the US, Germany and Great Britain own multi-functional fixed-wing aircraft in Antarctica.

Snow Eagle 601 -- the aircraft, manufactured in the United States, can fly at a speed of 380 km per hour with a maximum payload of 5,900 kg. It will be equipped with research equipment including an ice radar system, airborne gravimeter, airborne magnetometer and onboard laser radar system.

Photo taken on March 10, 2015 shows Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, sailing in floating ice area as it pulls out of the Antarctic circle. (Xinhua/Bai Yang)

 

[amoy]

China's 1st all-terrain vehicle undergoes field test near Zhongshan Antarctic Station

Photo taken on Dec. 14, 2015 shows China's first all-terrain vehicle at the Zhongshan Antarctic Station, a Chinese scientific research base in Antarctica. China's first all-terrain vehicle recently underwent a field test near the Zhongshan Antarctic Station. The amphibious vehicle has excellent maneuverability and can run in snowfields, deserts, beaches and mountainous regions at a maximum speed of 60 kilometers per hour and 5 kilometers per hour in water. (Xinhua/Zhu Jichai)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2015-12/15/c_134919915_2.htm
~~Still waters run deep. ~~from my MiPad using tapatalk

 

[amoy]

China's scientists find world's largest canyon under Antarctic ice sheet

Researchers from China's 32nd scientific expedition to the Antarctic discovered a 1,000 kilometer-long canyon beneath an Antarctic ice sheet. The canyon exceeds the U.S. Grand Canyon in size; it is now the largest known canyon on the earth's surface, Xinhua News reported on Monday.

Discovered near the Princess Elizabeth Land, the canyon is more than 1,000 kilometers in length and 1,500 meters in depth. The maximum width at the top of the canyon is 26.5 kilometers. This is the first time that any large canyon has been found in the region.

According to data collected on the site, Chinese scientists have made three major scientific discoveries there, said Sun Bo, vice director of China's 32nd Antarctic expedition team.

The first big discovery is the world's largest canyon, which was beneath an Antarctic ice sheet near the Princess Elizabeth Land.

The second big discovery is that there are numerous subglacial lakes and subglacial water channels, also beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. These lakes and bodies of water are interconnected. The width of one of the lakes reaches 26.5 kilometers, and another was formed in a location where the thickness of the ice is over 4,000 meters. This discovery will play an important role in future research.

The third key finding is that the temperature of deep ice in Princess Elizabeth Land is noticeably higher than in other regions, which makes it easier for ice to melt, meaning that lakes and other water systems form more easily.

Since late November 2015, China's 32nd scientific expedition to the Antarctic has been using new equipment, including the first polar airplane (named Snow Eagle601), to conduct large-scale scientific probes around Princess Elizabeth Land, covering an area of 866,000 square kilometers.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2016/0119/c90000-9006023.html


~~Still waters run deep. ~~from my MiPad using tapatalk

 

[amoy]

Nowhere off limits for China's 'Snow Eagle' plane

China's first polar fixed-wing aircraft, Xueying 601, arrives at Zhongshan station on Nov 11, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's polar fixed-wing aircraft has become the first in the world to land successfully on the highest ice feature of Antarctica at more than 4,000 meters above sea level.

The Xueying 601, or "Snow Eagle" in English, successfully landed on Dome A at Kunlun station, 4093 meters above sea level at 5:35 pm Beijing time on Sunday, Xinhua reported.

The plane took off from China's Zhongshan station, about 250 meters above sea level, and flew 1,316 kilometers in 4 hours and 45 minutes to arrive at Kunlun station. About five hours later, the plane left Kunlun station.

To fulfill the milestone landing on Dome A, Chinese researchers began flattening a runway on the soft snow layer with vehicles and other tools about a week ago.

The fixed-wing aircraft is designed for fast transport and emergency rescue and is also suitable for research purposes.

The successful landing marked the possibility of China's polar fixed-wing plane's fast reach to any place in the whole Antarctic, said Sun Bo who leads China's 33rd Antarctic expedition team.

Chinese scientists have tested the flight characteristics under the climatic conditions of Antarctica and the performance of the aircraft's equipment including the ice radar, the gravimeter and magnetometer in 2015 and 2016. It successfully flew over the Kunlun station on Jan 9, 2016.