Czechs on the ice: 21st Masaryk University expedition to Antarctica gets underway
A team of scientists from Brno’s Masaryk University has set off to the world’s coldest continent, Antarctica, with a second team to follow on January 11th. Ahead of the second departure, Danny Bate spoke to Pavel Kapler, manager of the Czech Antarctic Research Programme, about the purpose and logistics of their twenty-first expedition.
I think some people will be a little surprised, perhaps delighted to know that Czechia has a presence in Antarctica. What is the purpose of these expeditions of Masaryk University to the far south of the world?
“We are very delighted to be the Czech Antarctic National Research Programme, hosted by Masaryk University. Like most or all of national Antarctic programmes in Antarctica, our presence has the main goal of exploring the past of the white continent, exploring what is happening now, as it is affected by ongoing climate change, and estimating what will be the future of this continent, which is crucial and a key part of the global system, as a stabiliser and cooler of the global climate.”
This is such important work – and who will be doing this work? Can you tell me about the team of people? How many are there, and why is the expedition divided into two groups? I believe one has left already, and one will leave this Saturday.
“Actually, the Czech Antarctic Research Programme this year has four parts, but Masaryk University itself is sending two expeditions to Antarctica. The decision to disperse into these two groups was taken because they are going to different places.
“The first one, which departed on the January 1st is going through Argentina. This group is heading for the Johann Gregor Mendel Czech Antarctic Station, located on James Ross Island. The second one, which will depart on the 11th, this Saturday, will head for Nelson Island in the South Shetland Islands archipelago. Those two places are of interest of the Czech Antarctic Research Programme mainly.”
And how long will the members of the team be spending in Antarctica?
“The first expedition to Mendel Station is estimated to be there at least until the beginning of March, maybe mid-March. As for the second one, which is going for the field camp on Nelson Island (which is not a proper station yet – let’s see if in future there will be something more sophisticated built there), we will be there for four weeks, so until mid-February, including travel time.”
And do I understand it correctly that there is also a doctor as part of the team? What will this doctor be doing, in terms of research?
“The medicine doctor is a part of the larger group of the expedition, going to Mendel Station. Of course, this is a very remote place, so his main purpose is to serve as the expedition’s physician. But he is also responsible for health research. He will conduct research into the impact of this remoteness and the extreme conditions on human health. This is also connected to some other human-related research into the impact on the human psyche.
“All this research is contributing to space research, because all these analogue studies or missions could possibly be used for the development of a new methodology for astronauts.”
Fantastic – so, this research has relevance for us here on Earth, but also for humans up in space!
