Twenty-five people travelled to the southern hemisphere to the university-run Mendel Polar Station on James Ross Island and the CZ*ECO Nelson tech-logistics refuge on Nelson Island. Some researchers then spent time at the Ukrainian station Akademik Vernadsky on Galindez Island, the Argentinian station Esperanza on the Antarctic Peninsula, and the Union Glacier camp on the main Antarctic continent.
“The main objective of last year’s expedition to all three destinations was long-term climate monitoring and comprehensive observation of the condition of the polar geological and ecological systems. This included the local glaciers, permafrost and areas from which ice had retreated, allowing smaller plants to grow, as well as river and lake systems and other geomorphological formations,” said Daniel Nývlt, head of the Czech Antarctic Research Programme from the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Science.
According to Nývlt, the most important benefit is the long-term monitoring of the natural environment and climate. “Not every researcher has to go to Antarctica in person, some lack the means, others the courage. However, our programme is open to all, and the samples and data from last year’s expedition will be used for research by around 300 other scientists in the Czech Republic and abroad,” he added, explaining how the Czech Antarctic Research Programme contributes to the global scientific community.
In addition to researchers from Masaryk University, last year’s trip to Antarctica included colleagues from the Czech Technical University (CTU) and Charles University in Prague, as well as researchers from Italy, Israel and Ukraine.
The largest expedition group, consisting of fourteen participants, spent 49 days at the Mendel Polar Station. The expedition was unique in the amount of research and testing carried out directly on the participants. The University Hospital in Ostrava, the Czech Technical University and the Institute of Psychology of the Czech Academy of Sciences were involved in the research into the influence of the remote and extreme environment of Antarctica on the human psychology and health. The results of their research will help improve the preparation of future Czech Antarctic expeditions and will also be used by the European Space Agency (ESA) in planning human spaceflight missions.
Last year involved long journeys for the researchers at the James Ross Island base: the journey to Antarctica and back again took them almost as long as their stay on the station itself. Although they changed their mode of transport from South America to Antarctica from sea to air, the weather made it difficult. They also had to wait longer than planned for their return flight at the Argentinean station of Marambio, which was delayed by the devastating floods in Argentina, as the army, which carries out logistics operations in Antarctica, was called in as a priority.