Scientists all set for Arctic research expedition
By Wang Ying (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-06-30 06:19

Chinese scientists are gearing up for a trip to the North Pole in mid-July to explore the arctic, oceanic officials said yesterday.

The expedition, the largest ever of its kind launched by China, will last for six months and include research into polar meteorology, environmental monitoring and sea ice research.

A team of 21 Chinese scientists will soon leave for the Yellow River Station, the country's first scientific research station in the Arctic area. The station was set up last July on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.

Preliminary research was carried out in areas near the station last year and an overall survey will begin this year, said Yang Huigen, deputy director of the Shanghai-based Polar Research Institute of China and the scientist leading the expedition.

"China's scientific research needs innovation and should avoid set patterns, otherwise, it will end up imitating others, rather than leading the field," said Yang who is an expert who has been to the Arctic four times and to the Antarctic once.

During this year's Arctic trip, Yang will continue his aurora observations and research that has already won him two national academic prizes. Yang discovered that the aurora occurs more frequently at noon than at any other time of day during winter in the Antarctic.

According to Qu Tanzhou, director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Office of the State Oceanic Administration, the National Development and Reform Commission has endorsed an ambitious plan to increase the country's polar scientific research.

The plan is being backed with 860 million yuan (US$105 million) and work is expected to be finished by the end of the year.

China joined the Ny-Alesund Science Managers Committee, known as the "United Nations of Arctic studies" in April, giving weight to the country's claim to be at the forefront of Arctic research.

China began its research in the Arctic area in the 1990s and carried out two scientific observations in the Arctic area in 1999 and 2003.

Over the last two decades, the country has organized 20 Antarctic expeditions.

(China Daily 06/30/2005 page2)

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