(MENAFN- UkrinForm) According to Ukrinform, the National Antarctic Scientific Center reported this on Facebook.

“Their long journey from Kyiv to Antarctica began on November 24. The team includes scientists and technical specialists. They will work in Antarctica for several months, as long as the summer lasts there (the NANC reminds that the seasons in the Southern and Northern hemispheres occur in opposite phases),” the statement reads.

The group of technical specialists will carry out scheduled roof repairs at the station; construct a permanent pipeline from the pier to the fuel tank to prevent accidental spills; reconstruct the storage area for fuels and lubricants; and install grounding for the instruments inside the station.

These works are urgent, as they directly affect the safety of the polar researchers at Vernadsky.

Among the scientists in the seasonal team are biologists, oceanographers, geologists, and geophysicists, whose main tasks will include sample collection and equipment setup.

Their work will take place both on land and at sea - from aboard the Ukrainian vessel Noosfera.

Biologists, in particular, will collect samples of bacterio-, zoo- and phytoplankton to analyze environmental DNA and better understand the phenomenon of“ocean bloom.” Phytoplankton is crucial to ocean health, producing about half of the world's oxygen and forming the base of the marine food chain (as the main food source for krill).

Oceanographers will“catch” warm underwater waves which, similar to atmospheric rivers, can significantly warm ocean waters and contribute to glacier flooding.

Geologists will collect samples of seafloor sediments and rocks to reconstruct paleoclimate, helping to understand how warming and cooling periods changed millions and thousands of years ago.

Geophysicists will install and configure new instruments to measure the geomagnetic field and seismic activity.

The collected samples will be analyzed in advanced laboratories not only in Ukraine but also in other countries as part of international cooperation.

Read also: Ukrainian icebreaker 'Noosfera' launches new Antarctic season

At the end of November, the seasonal team is expected to board the Noosfera in Punta Arenas, Chile, and reach Vernadsky in the first half of December.

The members of the 30th wintering expedition, who have been working at the station since March, are eagerly awaiting their arrival.

As reported by Ukrinform, Ukraine's research icebreaker Noosfera arrived at the Polish Antarctic station Arctowski on King George Island.

Photo: National Antarctic Scientific Center

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