Icebreaker “Noospfera” will deliver Ukrainian researchers to Vernadskyy Station

The icebreaker “Noosfera” will deliver the team of the 31st Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition (UAE) to the “Akademik Vernadskyy” station.

Ukrainian researchers have already left for the station, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine reported.

The expedition members left for Warsaw by bus. From there, they will fly to the southernmost city of Chile – Punta Arenas.

There, the polar explorers will board the icebreaker “Noosfera”, which will take them to their final destination – the Antarctic island of Galindez, where “Vernadskyy” is located.

The expedition will work at the station for a year, replacing colleagues from the 30th UAE. Traditionally, the team will take up research in three main areas: geophysics, meteorology, biology. The team will also ensure the sustainable operation of “Vernadskyy”.

There are 14 participants in the 31st UAE. These are 9 scientists (four meteorologists, two geophysicists, three biologists), a cook, a doctor, a sysadmin, a diesel engineer and a mechanic. For the first time in the history of Ukraine, the expedition was led by a woman – meteorologist Anzhelika Hanchuk.

Earlier, USM reported that the government continued funding the work of the Vernadskyy station and the icebreaker “Noosfera”.