How busy is the Snow Dragon 2? What kind of sea is it going to in the Amundsen Sea? Expert answers→
In Antarctica, China's 40th Antarctic expedition is underway. The important task of this expedition, the ocean scientific expedition, is about to begin, and the "Snow Dragon 2" ship carrying out the ocean scientific research mission is sailing to the Amundsen Sea, the operating sea area.
Including the "Snow Dragon 2", there are three ships on the 40th Chinese Antarctic Expedition, each undertaking different research missions. And the busiest of them is "Snow Dragon 2". See how busy the "Snow Dragon 2" is by the sailing track?
The "Snow Dragon 2" has traveled more than 2,<> kilometers in Antarctica this year
Ai Songtao, deputy director of the China Antarctic Surveying and Mapping Research Center of Wuhan University: This year, the "Snow Dragon 2" has traveled more than 2,12 kilometers. Walked to the port of Lytton in New Zealand, the ship docked once, departed from New Zealand and headed south into the Ross Sea, arrived at the new station area, and went back again. On December 23, we arrived at the port of Lytton in New Zealand. I picked up the new team members, and on the 25th, I set off from there again and went down again.
At present, the "Snow Dragon 2", which is loaded with members of the scientific expedition team and various scientific research instruments and equipment, is heading to the Amundsen Sea and will carry out relevant oceanic survey operations in this area.
Where exactly is the Amundsen Sea?
Ai Songtao, deputy director of the China Antarctic Surveying and Mapping Research Center of Wuhan University: Starting from China, from the northern hemisphere to the southern hemisphere, to the Antarctic region, there are actually many seas around Antarctica, but in general, it is surrounded by three oceans: the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. However, south of the 60th parallel, many smaller areas are divided into different names. In the Amundsen Sea this year, we have a record of reaching this area many times in previous years, and the "Snow Dragon" and the "Snow Dragon 2" icebreaker that will go to this area this year will be inspected.
It is known that the Amundsen Sea is a marginal sea of Antarctica, part of the South Pacific Ocean. It stretches from Thurston Island (98°W, 71°21′S) in the east to Dart Island (126°W, 73°S) in the west. In March 2018, China conducted its first comprehensive marine survey in the area.
Why go on an expedition to Amundsenhai?
Zhang Zhaoru, Deputy Director of the Key Laboratory of Polar Ecology and Climate Change of the Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University: Why did the "Snow Dragon 2" go to the Amundsen Sea region of Antarctica for scientific investigation and research? This is because the Amundsen Sea is one of the most strongly affected areas of Antarctica by climate change, and it is also one of the regions with the fastest melting rate of Antarctic ice shelves, where changes in ice shelves, glaciers, and ocean physical processes will have an important impact on the Southern Ocean and the global ocean circulation system, as well as global sea level rise. In addition, the Amundsen Sea is also a key area for research on the vulnerability and sensitivity of polar ecosystems in the context of climate change, and marine environmental surveys in this area will help us understand and grasp the changes in Antarctic ecosystems and key populations in the context of climate change.
(CCTV reporter Song Yunyan Li Jie)