China is planning to finish the construction of its fifth research station in the coastal area of the Ross Sea in Antarctica by February 2024 as a part of its 40th scientific expedition to the icy continent, China’s Global Times newspaper reported.
The five-month expedition to build the station will include two polar icebreakers with over 460 researchers from 80 Chinese institutions and a cargo ship, carrying construction materials for the base, the newspaper said on Wednesday.
Besides building the base, the expedition team will investigate the impact of climate change on the Antarctic ecosystem and the region’s role in global climate change. Participants will also conduct comprehensive research and monitor ecology, distribution of pollutants and the conditions of water.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies says the new base in the east Antarctic will include an observatory with a satellite ground station and will help China “fill in a major gap” in its ability to access the continent.
