#40年向南极# On April 15, 2024, the "Snow Dragon" polar expedition icebreaker successfully docked at the China Polar Expedition Domestic Base in Shanghai, announcing the successful completion of the 40th Chinese Antarctic expedition.
The year 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the continental polar expedition. From being "invited" by the Antarctic Treaty Assembly to drink coffee outside, to planting the first five-star red flag in Antarctica, to establishing a research station on the top of the Antarctic ice sheet...... Over the past 40 years, China has been moving step by step to become a polar exploration power.
Since the first Chinese Antarctic expedition in 1984, Wuhan University has sent more than 180 people to participate in China's 39 Antarctic scientific expeditions and 16 Arctic scientific expeditions, making it the earliest university in China to participate in polar expeditions, with the largest number of times and the largest number of scientific expedition members.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of China's polar expedition, Hubei Radio and Television Changjiang Cloud News and Wuhan University planned to launch a series of reports "40 Years, to Antarctica", telling the stories of the previous polar expedition members of Wuhan University. Today, the second article "Yang Yuande: Five Trips to Antarctica and Almost Fell into Ice Cracks".
In addition to glaciers, snow-capped mountains, whales, penguins, and auroras, Yang Yuande, professor and doctoral supervisor at Wuhan University, also pointed out that there are scientific research stations, icebreakers, snowmobiles, and fixed-wing aircraft...... Among them, there are many "made in China". At the age of 42, he went to Antarctica five times, and what made this "old polar man" happiest was to be able to witness the strength of the national Antarctic scientific expedition from weak to strong.
Said scientific research: infinite scenery is at the dangerous peak
"When I first went to Antarctica, I was still a PhD student, and I went to the Great Wall Station, which was a little more 'marginal', and was responsible for setting up a GPS satellite tracking station all year round, where the facilities were more complete and the environment was not as harsh as the core area. ”
On October 20, 2008, due to his excellent grades, Yang Yuande, who is studying for a doctorate, was recommended and selected to become a member of China's 25th Antarctic scientific expedition and embarked on the journey of exploring Antarctica. When I first arrived at the Great Wall Station in Antarctica, although the boat was tiring and the wind was biting, there were surprises everywhere, clear skies, soft snow, stretching glaciers, and rare animals...... The sight before me is like opening a new world. "There is also a penguin island opposite the Great Wall Station, and the road in the middle will be flooded when the tide rises, so I always pick the opportunity to go to the opposite side to observe the tide, which is very interesting. ”
Professor Yang Yuande at work
In the 27th, 29th, 35th, and the following three Chinese Antarctic expeditions, Yang Yuande went to Kunlun Station with the team to conduct scientific expeditions, mainly studying glaciers. As the team goes deeper into the "belly", the cruelty of Antarctica gradually becomes apparent. "Each time, the team sailed for several weeks, arriving at Zhongshan Station and then driving to Kunlun Station, which is more than 4,000 meters above sea level. "The temperature is extremely low, the wind and snow are raging, and the challenges are even more severe.
Professor Yang Yuande works in Antarctica, and ultraviolet rays are particularly strong outdoors
"Walking from Zhongshan Station to Kunlun Station, I slept on a snowmobile at night. Every morning when I wake up, the water drips into ice, and when I check the vehicle, the slightest carelessness will stick to the iron sheet, and frostbite is commonplace. After arriving at Kunlun Station, it is even colder, the temperature drops to minus forty or fifty degrees, and after working outside for a short time, our fingers can be frozen, our eyes will be blown by the cold wind, and there is a thick layer of ice ballast on our eyebrows, so as not to affect our work, we don't even wear gloves and masks. "Yang Yuande's body has many traces left by Antarctica, the most conspicuous of which is his slightly dark skin. "The ultraviolet rays in Antarctica are also very strong, and they are very damaging to the skin, even if they are fully dressed and apply a thick layer of sunscreen, the skin will still sunburn, and some people shed two layers of skin in half a day. ”
Eating, hurrying, and camping, Yang Yuande told reporters that the daily rhythm of life is monotonous and tense, except for snow, blue sky and red cars, there are no other colors to be seen. Along the way, you will not only have to face the harsh natural environment, but also overcome the physical discomfort caused by altitude sickness. Due to the limited water source, everyone can only wipe their bodies with hot towels every day, "The second time I went to Antarctica, from departure to return to Zhongshan Station, we did not take a bath for 45 days. ”
Professor Yang Yuande experiences "Antarctic Adventure"
Even more dangerous are the bottomless ice crevasses. On the 29th Antarctic scientific expedition, Yang Yuande and his teammates were on the way back after transporting supplies, and they were going very smoothly, but after the driver suddenly shouted "not good", before everyone could react, the front of the car tilted sharply and fell into it with a plop. He recalled, "At that time, I immediately jumped out of the car to ask for help, and walked back less than 10 meters, and my feet were empty, and I also stepped on the air and sunken, but fortunately I reacted quickly and tightly supported the ice and snow on both sides with my arms." Now recalling the scene at that time, Yang Yuande is still a little afraid.
Fighting with the sky and the earth, the most difficult thing is to fight with yourself. Antarctic scientific expeditions, most of the time from November to March of the following year, most of the time is the polar day, which is a great test of everyone's "self-management" ability, to work, to sleep, to supervise each other, only in strict accordance with the schedule, in order to prevent the biological clock disorder, thus affecting the work.
Professor Yang Yuande conducts survey work outdoors
Fortunately, "the infinite scenery is at the dangerous peak", and all kinds of adventures have been rewarded later. In the 29th Antarctic scientific expedition, Yang Yuande established the first GPS satellite tracking station for glacier movement monitoring at Kunlun Station, and in 2022, Yang Yuande established the first GPS satellite tracking station for glacier movement monitoring at Kunlun Station, and in 2022, Yang Yuande established the first GPS satellite tracking station for glacier movement monitoring at Kunlun Station He published a paper on the world's first long-distance high-precision absolute gravity value measured by the Antarctic inland ice sheet during the 35th Antarctic scientific expedition, which is the first international in-depth ice gravity measurement carried out in the Antarctic interior, and obtained 14 absolute gravity and gravity gradients and ice elevation data on the 1240km survey line, which has important scientific research value.
Yang Yuande bluntly said that often God's greatest reward will appear in the form of a test. Every scientific expedition will face various difficulties and challenges, as a scientific expedition member, the most important thing is to maintain tenacious perseverance and firm faith.
On change: five trips to Antarctica, more and more "Made in China"!
On October 26, 2022, Yang Yuande went to Antarctica for the fifth time as a member of China's 39th Antarctic scientific expedition.
Looking back on the five Antarctic scientific expeditions, Yang Yuande is most happy to be able to witness the significant enhancement of the national scientific research infrastructure construction and the leapfrog improvement of scientific research capabilities.
"First of all, it's easy to call. Yang Yuande recalled that at the beginning of the scientific expedition, the communication conditions were particularly difficult, and in order to make a phone call to his home, he had to walk for more than an hour, from the Great Wall Station to the neighboring Chile Station, to make an international call for a few dollars a minute, not to mention the Internet, and was in a state of "disconnection" with China for a long time. After that, you can call Shanghai dialect in the station, and the Internet has become unimpeded. In terms of logistics, the container for aviation kerosene has changed from oil barrels to oil bags and oil cans, and it is difficult to eat fresh vegetables in normal times, but now, Changcheng Station and Zhongshan Station have greenhouses, which can be planted using soilless cultivation technology, and fruits and flowers can be seen in ice and snow.
"The Heavy Weapon of the Nation" Snow Dragon No. 2
Secondly, there are more and more "Made in China" in Antarctica. In the past, the ships and planes needed for scientific research were bought and leased, but now they are all made in China. For example, the Snow Dragon II, which has strong ice-breaking ability, has an independent and controllable Beidou positioning system...... The scientific research equipment of China's polar research is becoming more and more advanced, and the surrounding scientific research stations even use "Chinese-made" drones.
Qinling Station
One of the most important "Made in China" is the scientific research station. From the Great Wall Station to Zhongshan Station, Kunlun Station, Taishan Station, and then to the brand-new Qinling Station, China now has five scientific research stations in Antarctica, and the number of stations has risen to the fourth in the world. "Forty years ago, when China participated in the Antarctic International Conference for the first time, it was invited out of the conference room to 'drink coffee' because it did not have its own scientific research station and had no right to speak or make decisions. This has made the older generation of scientists sad and angry. After 40 years, we can proudly say that we are the first echelon. Yang Yuande said excitedly.
Talking about hope: Looking forward to the torch of Antarctic scientific research from generation to generation
On April 10, China's 40th Antarctic Expedition successfully completed its mission and all of them returned to China. One of the biggest achievements of this trip is the completion of Qinling Station.
Speaking of this new station, Yang Yuande is full of expectations. "Our previous research stations were mainly built on glaciers, and our research was mainly focused on glacier observations. The new research station will be able to carry out more systematic observation between air and sea, and I believe that there will be many new gains in it. ”
Professor Yang Yuande, who works in Antarctica
In the future, Yang Yuande will stick to the front line of polar scientific research, and bring the scientific research concepts and methods that have been fully verified and perfected in China to Antarctica for implementation. Of course, he also hopes to attract more new forces to join the research in Antarctica. "I went to Antarctica purely because I was inspired by my teacher, Professor E Dongchen, and I also hope to attract more students to understand Antarctica, get closer to Antarctica, and work with us to write a glorious chapter in the Antarctic scientific expedition of Wuhan University, so as to ensure that the torch of Antarctic scientific research can be passed on from generation to generation. ”
Wuhan University, where Yang Yuande works, has participated in the scientific expedition to the Antarctic since 1984, and has been forging ahead with the country for nearly 40 years.
"This has also strengthened our determination to continue to take root in this ice and snow world and conduct scientific research for our country, and has greatly boosted the morale of our entire Antarctic center. Yang Yuande said that he hopes that the general secretary's attention can make more people understand Antarctic scientific research, and can also spur polar scientific research workers to continue to move forward and continue to strive for further progress in previous achievements. "Take out the pride of 'Xiongguan Mandao is as true as iron, and now we are stepping forward from the beginning', to make outstanding contributions to China's Antarctic research, to explore more mysteries of this treasure house of mankind, and to seek the well-being of future generations." ”
(Changjiangyun News reporter Zhang Yiheng, Wang Yu, Zhou Xiang)