Greece will participate for the first time in a mission to Antarctica dispatching a scientific team to study a wide range of topics due to its unique environment and the valuable data it provides for understanding Earth’s systems
The Greek scientists will participate in the next Bulgarian expedition and travel with the research vessel “Saints Cyril and Methodius,” said the president of the non-governmental Hellenic Polar Zones Society, Simeon Konstantinidis.
The chairman of the NGO participated in the International Polar Conference on cooperation between the Balkan countries in the polar regions within the framework of the European programs EUPolarNet-2 and POLARIN, held in Aheloy, Bulgaria.
“This is a big step for us towards the South Pole because it is the first time Greece will send its scientists, said Konstantinidis.
Greece plans a weather station and base in Antarctica
He added that the organization’s plans also include constructing a weather station on the frozen continent, which will probably happen next year.
One of the scientists who will travel to Antarctica this year on the Bulgarian ship is a professor at the University of Athens and deals with astrophysics. Konstantinidis explained that he would make astronomical observations and measurements.
From the Greek side, the second scientific participant will be a professor from the Technical University of Crete, who will conduct psychological tests for people living in isolated places to check if they suffer from depression.
Another experiment will be to use videos explicitly created to help people in isolated environments feel better. During the stay, the researcher will also use a technique to measure the magnetism that people emit when they experience different emotions.
“When they return, we will learn from their experience and be able to organize more expeditions. We hope to be able to develop this cooperation between the Balkan countries and Europe and be able to send scientists from Greece every year,” said Konstantinidis.
“We will be able to acquire know-how, and in the future, we can build our base or cooperate with other countries like Bulgaria and share the scientific base, instruments, and equipment. We will find a way, but the good thing is that we are neighbors, we are close, and we can keep in touch more easily,” he added.
Antarctica hosts numerous research stations operated by various countries, with teams conducting scientific research year-round or seasonally.
There are currently about 70 active research stations spread across the continent, run by 29 countries that are signatories to the Antarctic Treaty. These stations vary in size, from small seasonal camps to large permanent facilities that operate throughout the year.
Related: Parts of Frozen Antarctica Turn Green From Growing Plants
