Soviet Antarctic Expedition Research Articles

СОСТОЯНИЕ АДРЕНОКОРТИКАЛЬНОЙ И СИМПАТОАДРЕНАЛОВОЙ СИСТЕМ, СУБСТРАТОВ ЭНЕРГЕТИЧЕСКОГО ОБМЕНА В КРОВИ ЧЕЛОВЕКА ПРИ ГОДИЧНОМ ПРЕБЫВАНИИ В УСЛОВИЯХ ГИПОБАРИЧЕСКОЙ ГИПОКСИИ, ГИПОКИНЕЗИИ И ИЗОЛЯЦИИ

Year-long life on Antarctic scientific station Vostok was characterized by exposure to the physiologically important factors including hypobaric hypoxia (Р = 460 mm Hg) due to the location on the Central Ice Sheet, hypokinesia due to staying indoor most of the time because of very low temperatures outdoors, physical and social isolation from the world. The paper attempts to define which of these factors determined the human body stress-reaction and energy metabolism. Venous plasma samples were periodically gathered for analysis from 16 members of the 13th Soviet Antarctic expedition to the station Vostok in 1968. Members of the expedition were divided into 2 groups. One group was experimental, i.e. intermittently consumed anti-asthenia amino acid and vitamin supplements and psychoactive drugs, and the other was the placebo control. The investigation showed that in the course of the year-long existence in the extreme environment the averaged levels of 11-oxicorticosteroids and adrenergic compounds were elevated while the noradrenergic levels were at the bottom margins of their normal ranges. Averaged values of blood glucose and total cholesterol were well within the range of normal variations. Anti-asthenia supplements mitigated the chronic stress and did not disturb energy metabolism.

Physiological Status of Polar Explorers and Its Improvement with Drugs in Conditions of One-Year Isolation at the Vostok Station in the Antarctic

Abstract—Evgenii Aleksandrovich Ilyin is a chief researcher of the Institute of Medico-Biological Problems, a doctor of medical sciences, a professor, a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics, a laureate of the Science and Engineering Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation, a honored scientist of the Russian Federation, and a retired medical service colonel. Ilyin has worked in space biology and medicine from 1961. He specializes in the physiology of extreme influences on humans and animals. As a member of the 13th Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1968), Ilyin performed studies in polar explorers at the Vostok Station. Then he worked as one of the heads of the biomedical research programs associated with 11 Bion satellite missions and two Foton-M missions. He was awarded with orders, medals, and honorary certificates. From 1989, Ilyin has worked as a deputy editor-in-chief of this journal. The editorial board of the journal congratulates Evgenii Ilyin on his 80th anniversary and wishes him good health, every success, and many years of creative work.

Who discovered the Lake Vostok?

A history of the subglacial lake Vostok that had been revealed near this Soviet Antarctic Station is briefly described in the paper. Three participants of the Soviet Antarctic Expeditions played a significant part in the history of the Lake discovery, and they were a navigator of polar aviation R.V. Robinson, a physicist I.A. Zotikov, and a geographer A.P. Kapitsa. R.V. Robinson was the first man who had indicated to evidence of a subglacial lake in contours of the glacier surface; I.A. Zotikov had substantiated a hypothesis of a subglacial melting in central regions of the Antarctic continent and possible presence of water bodies in depressions of the glacier bed; A.P. Kapitsa had obtained by means of seismic sounding the original reflections which were later interpreted as reflections from subglacial water layer. And lastly, in some time later, the Britain glaciologist G. Robin had performed the thorough radio sounding in the vicinity of the Vostok station and finally proved existence of a large subglacial water body in this region. Further on, the lake was investigated by many participants of the Russian Antarctic Expeditions, as well as by scientists from the Britain Scott Institute and members of the American Antarctic Expeditions. Now this is the largest and the mostly studied subglacial lake in the Antarctica among almost 400 similar lakes revealed under the ice sheet.

Charles Swithinbank

Charles Swithinbank

The geological composition of the hidden Wilhelm II Land in East Antarctica: SHRIMP zircon, Nd isotopic and geochemical studies with implications for Proterozoic supercontinent reconstructions

In this paper we present new U–Pb zircon age, Sm–Nd isotopic and chemical composition data for rocks cropping out in a few isolated nunataks in Wilhelm II Land in East Antarctica, namely Mirny oasis, Mt Brown and Gaussberg volcano, which contains xenogenic crustal material. These outcrops were subjects of geological investigations during the Soviet Antarctic Expedition of 1956–1957. Our data show that this region is underlain by a uniform crust which experienced a high-grade metamorphic event at ca 980–920Ma, co-eval with the Rayner Orogeny in Kemp Land and the northern Prince Charles Mountains. Extensive indications of a ca 500Ma event in coastal areas (granitoid intrusions in Mirny oasis and inherited zircons found in Gaussberg volcano), together with the lack of indications of this age in Mt Brown, point to a concentration of ca 500Ma processes (roughly co-eval with the Prydz Orogeny) in the coastal part of Wilhelm II Land and their attenuation inland. We also determined a ca 1480Ma age for a mafic magmatic protolith in Mt Brown which may be correlated with roughly co-eval orthogneiss in the Bunger Hills area. These observations suggest the conjugate positions of these crustal blocks in the early Mesoproterozoic and argue against a Cambrian suture running between them. In Gaussberg volcano a range of zircon 206Pb/238U ages of ca 320Ma, ca 500Ma, ca 980Ma, and ca 2000–1800Ma has been determined. The presence of ca 2000–1800Ma zircons indicates involvement of mid-Palaeoproterozoic rocks in the structure of Wilhelm II Land. This argues for possible conjugation of this region with other East Antarctic blocks experienced the Palaeoproterozoic tectonic evolution and which have been considered to comprise the Mawson palaeocontinent.

Crustal structure and tectonic evolution of Enderby Land, East Antarctica, as revealed by deep seismic surveys

Subsurface crustal structures of the metamorphic terrains in Enderby Land, East Antarctica, were obtained on the basis of data from deep seismic surveys along with connecting reliable tectonic models. The lithospheric structure of the early-Paleozoic Lützow-Holm Complex (LHC) at the western side of Enderby Land was delineated by inland dipping velocity models and lower crustal reflectivity by the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. The seismic profiles across the Prince Charles Mountains (PCM) and Princess Elizabeth Land (PEL) by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition demonstrated the graben structure beneath the Amery Ice Shelf. The Lambert graben and the underlying rift structure in the central part of the profile appeared to be associated with the Cretaceous breakup. Tectonic evolution of the wider area in Enderby Land is discussed by combining the coastal structure with that toward the inland plateau of the Gambursev Subglacial Mountains (GSM), with geological aspects concerning the amalgamation and separation of the Gondwana supercontinent.

The curious incident of the missing cleaner

ABSTRACTThe first woman to work as a professional scientist in Antarctica was Mariya Vasilyevna Klyonova, during the first Soviet Antarctic Expedition of 1955–1957. Other women were crew members on the icebreakers Lena and Ob’. There is an outside possibility that there was more to one of them than meets the eye. But we shall never know.

The reluctant hosts: Soviet Antarctic expedition ships visit Australia and New Zealand in 1956

ABSTRACTRussian and Australian primary sources were examined in an attempt to reconstruct the voyage of the first composite Soviet Antarctic expedition to Antarctica and from thence to Leningrad [St Petersburg]. This expedition had the aim of constructing a base for the Soviet International Geophysical Year (IGY) commitment. In a time of cold war tension and unresolved Antarctic claims, the Australian and New Zealand governments were wary of Soviet intentions and barely tolerated visits by Soviet expeditions. However, in their interactions with Australians and New Zealanders, the Soviets were careful to underline the friendly nature of their visits and avoided any sensitive political questions. The two governments’ apparent lack of enthusiasm for Ob and Lena entering their ports after fulfilling their task in Antarctica is contrasted with the generally more enthusiastic attitude of the Australian and New Zealand scientists and expedition members, with whom the Soviet personnel came into contact, some of whom developed lasting scientific relationships with the visitors.

Beobachtungen an der Chironomide Parochlus steineni auf der Insel King George (Südshetlandinseln, Antarktis) (Diptera, Chironomidae)

Three biologists, members of the research institute for vertebrates of the Academy of Science of the GDR, took part in the 26th Soviet Antarctic Expedition. During the winterperiod they were successful in observing the podonomine midge Parochlus steineni steineni (Gercke) on the territory of the research station “Bellingshausen” (62° 12′ S 58° 54′ W). Since the middle of July the larvae had been taken from the drinking-water, in which they had got by accident. The water was pumped from the natural habitat of the insect, a lake situated in the higher regions above the station and a little reservoir below. Subsequently multitudes of pupae, imagines and eggs had been collected by the scientists. On 15 December, a mild day, a mass-hatching could be observed. It is worth mentioning that there were no flying ♂ above the water surface.

Deep drilling at Vostok station, Antarctica: history and recent events

AbstractDeep drilling into the ice sheet at Vostok station, Antarctica, was started by specialists of the Leningrad Mining Institute (since 1991, St Petersburg State Mining Institute) in 1970. Five deep holes were cored: hole No. 1 to 952 m; hole No. 2 to 450.4 m; hole No. 3G (3G-1, 3G-2) to 2201.7 m; hole No. 4G (4G-1, 4G-2) to 2546.4 m; and hole No. 5G (5G-1) to 3650.2 m depth. Drilling of hole 5G-1 is not yet complete. The deep drilling at Vostok station has had successes and problems. All the deep holes at Vostok have undergone at least one offset drilling operation because of problems with lost drills. These deviations were made successfully using a thermal drilling technique. Several drilling records have been achieved at Vostok station. The deepest dry hole, No. 1 (952 m), was made during Soviet Antarctic Expedition (SAE) 17 in 1972. The deepest fluid-filled hole, No. 5G-1, made by a thermal drill (TBZS-132), reached 2755 m during SAE 38 in 1993. The deepest fluid-filled hole in ice, No. 5G-1, was drilled with a KEMS-132 electromechanical drill and was stopped above Vostok Subglacial Lake at 3650.2 m depth during Russian Antarctic Expedition (RAE) 51 in 2006.

Propagation of VHF Radio Waves on Sea Routes in the South Polar Latitudes

We present the results of meteorological and radiometeorological observations as well as the results of measurements of the attenuation factor of very-high-frequency (VHF) radio waves during the 28th Soviet Antarctic expedition in January–March 1983. It is shown that radiometeorological parameters over the South ocean area in summer almost coincide with the corresponding averaged parameters over the land in winter. The main mechanism of radio-wave propagation at distances over 100 km is single scattering by turbulent fluctuations of the atmospheric refractive index. Absolute values of the running attenuation at high frequencies are low compared to those in other climatic areas.

Charles Swithinbank: glaciologist

AbstractThis is the second in a series of biographies entitled ‘Children of the Golden Age,’ the purpose of which is to describe the background and contributions of significant living figures in polar research who began their scientific careers in the years following World War II. Born on 17 November 1926 in Burma, Charles Winthrop Molesworth Swithinbank attended Bryanston School in Dorset before joining the Royal Navy in 1944. He read geography at the University of Oxford and was named assistant glaciologist for the Norwegian-British-Swedish Expedition (1949–52). After completing his DPhil, he joined the Scott Polar Research Institute, where he studied ice distribution in the Northwest Passage. Moving to the University of Michigan (1959–63), he led three expeditions to the Ross Ice Shelf before becoming the first British exchange scientist with the Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1963–65). Returning to the Scott Polar Research Institute, he developed a glaciological programme that led to his appointment as chief glaciologist of the British Antarctic Survey. He became head of the Earth Sciences Division in 1974, a post he held until his retirement in 1986. Swithinbank's contributions to Antarctic science include studies of the deformation, flow, and thickness of glaciers and the interpretation of satellite imagery. He served as president of the International Glaciological Society (1981–84) and has received a number of honours and awards.

Science and Travel in Extreme LatitudesNo Ordinary Journey: John Rae, Arctic Explorer, 1813-1893. Ian Bunyan, Jenni Calder, Dale Idiens, Bryce WilsonA History of Antarctic Science. G. E. FoggScience and the Canadian Arctic: A Century of Exploration, 1818-1918. Trevor H. LevereScience in the Subarctic: Trappers, Traders, and the Smithsonian Institution. Debra Lindsay

Although I have conducted astronomical and geospace research in the subarctic and Arctic both in North America and in Europe, the term polar research brings to me visions of Antarctica, where I spent fourteen months more than three decades ago as a member of the Sixth Soviet Antarctic Expedition. In part, perhaps it is simply this that causes me to estimate G. E. Fogg's History of Antarctic Science so highly. This marvelous volume has been needed for many years. There have been books and monographs telling of the history of various nations in the Antarctic, of exploration in the Antarctic-and certainly there have been heroic tales of adventurers in the Antarctic and compilations with chapters written by different specialists. But until Fogg's contribution there has not been a book describing the entirety of Antarctic scientific research from the work of Edmond Halley three centuries ago to the pres-

Soviet geological maps of the Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctic Shield

The results of the Soviet geological mapping program in the Prince Charles Mountains (Australian Antarctic Territory) are presented as the first major publication of the Soviet mapping program from 1983 and 1991. Except for a map of Else Platform, the maps published in this paper represent all maps completed by the 28th to 35th Soviet Antarctic Expeditions in the Prince Charles Mountains. The maps cover four suggested tectonic provinces, the Beaver Belt, Lambert Province, Fisher Belt and Ruker Terrane. The four terranes show a continuous increase in metamorphic grade from south to north. The Ruker Terrane is of a greenschist and lower amphibolite facies metamorphic grade, the Lambert Province consists of retrogressively metamorphosed Beaver Belt granulite and prograde metamorphosed greenschist of the Ruker Terrane and the Beaver Belt consists of high grade granulite. The Fisher Belt is a greenstone belt which is interpreted to be thrust later against the Lambert Province. Rock‐types of all four terranes as shown on the maps are discussed and an up‐to‐date summary of the work completed by the Soviet Antarctic Expeditions in the Prince Charles Mountains is given.

Evidence for an early Holocene climatic optimum in the Antarctic deep ice-core record

In the interpretation of the Antarctic deep ice-core data, little attention has been given to the Holocene part of the records. As far as translation of the stable isotope content in terms of temperature is concerned, this can be understood because expected temperature changes may be obscured by isotopic noise of various origins and because no 14C dating has yet been available for this type of sequence. In this article, we focus on the Dome C and Vostok cores and on a new 850-m long ice core drilled out at Komsomolskaia by the Soviet Antarctic Expeditions. These three sites are located in East Antarctica, on the Antarctic plateau, in a region essentially undisturbed by ice-flow conditions, so that their detailed intercomparison may allow us to identify the climatically significant isotopic signal. Our results compare well with the proximal records of Southern Hemisphere high latitudes and support the existence of a warmer “climatic optimum” between 10 and 6 ka y BP. Maximum temperatures are reached just at the end of the last deglaciation, which confirms previous observations at high latitudes, in contrast with later dates for the Atlantic and hypsithermal optima in Europe and North America.

Holocene Climatic Records From Antarctic Ice

The climate of the Holocene is, for continental regions from middle and low latitudes, relatively well documented from pollen studies and other sources. To obtain a global picture, these data must be supplemented by climatic series from polar regions. Such information may be extracted from δD or δ18O ice-core profiles but the interpretation of these isotopic records suffers some limitations, (1) because, expected temperature changes being small, they can be obscured by noise effects in the isotope-temperature relationship, and (2) because they can be influenced, especially in coastal regions, by changes in origin of the ice.With this in mind, we focus our presentation on Dome C and Vostok cores drilled on the East Antarctica Plateau and essentially undisturbed by ice-flow conditions. The detailed comparison between these continuous isotopic records makes it possible to know which part of the isotopic signal is climatically significant. Spectral properties of these two records are also examined over the Holocene period. In addition, we present isotopic results obtained on a 950 m ice core drilled at Komsomolskaia (also on the East Antarctica Plateau) by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition. This core fully covers the Holocene and, although discontinuous, the new data help us to document the East Antarctica isotopic record.From these data, an average climatic record is constructed which shows that the East Antarctica climate was fairly stable during the Holocene, marginally warmest around 10 kyear B.P. and coldest in periods around 1.5 and 6 kyear B P. These features are discussed in relation with other Antarctic data (Byrd, Law Dome, Ross Ice Shelf) and with climate records from both southern and northern hemispheres

Palaeoclimatological and chronological implications of the Vostok core dust record

THE2,083-m Vostok ice core recovered by the Soviet Antarctic expeditions has provided much information of climatic and environmental interest, for a period covering a full glacial–inter-glacial cycle1–6. Here we present and discuss the dust record obtained down to 2,202 m, the final depth to which this core was extended in 1986. First, we document the fact that major changes in aeolian deposits, as recorded in the Vostok core, appear to be of global significance and confirm the existence of a link between high-latitude aeolian deposits and the Earth's orbital parameters7,8. Second, we propose atmospheric dust as a strati-graphic marker to compare timing with other records of palaeocli-mate, and use the magnetic-susceptibility profile measured along the RC11-120 Indian Ocean core9 for this purpose, assuming that major dust events correspond to common aeolian inputs. This approach indicates that the Vostok and marine records were roughly in phase at the previous glacial–interglacial transition.

Holocene Climatic Records From Antarctic Ice

The climate of the Holocene is, for continental regions from middle and low latitudes, relatively well documented from pollen studies and other sources. To obtain a global picture, these data must be supplemented by climatic series from polar regions. Such information may be extracted from δD or δ18O ice-core profiles but the interpretation of these isotopic records suffers some limitations, (1) because, expected temperature changes being small, they can be obscured by noise effects in the isotope-temperature relationship, and (2) because they can be influenced, especially in coastal regions, by changes in origin of the ice. With this in mind, we focus our presentation on Dome C and Vostok cores drilled on the East Antarctica Plateau and essentially undisturbed by ice-flow conditions. The detailed comparison between these continuous isotopic records makes it possible to know which part of the isotopic signal is climatically significant. Spectral properties of these two records are also examined over the Holocene period. In addition, we present isotopic results obtained on a 950 m ice core drilled at Komsomolskaia (also on the East Antarctica Plateau) by the Soviet Antarctic Expedition. This core fully covers the Holocene and, although discontinuous, the new data help us to document the East Antarctica isotopic record. From these data, an average climatic record is constructed which shows that the East Antarctica climate was fairly stable during the Holocene, marginally warmest around 10 kyear B.P. and coldest in periods around 1.5 and 6 kyear B P. These features are discussed in relation with other Antarctic data (Byrd, Law Dome, Ross Ice Shelf) and with climate records from both southern and northern hemispheres

On the eightieth anniversary of M. M. Somov's birth

Abstract The year 1988 marked the 80th anniversary of the birth of an illustrious polar researcher, Mikhail Mikhaylovich Somov. Born in Moscow in 1908, he graduated from the Hydrological Department of the Moscow Hydrometeorological Institute in 1937; he first went to the Arctic to study sea ice in 1938. In 1946 he continued these studies as Deputy Leader of the Eastern High Latitude Expedition aboard the ice breaker Severnyy Polyus and shortly after was a member of the so‐called “jumping”; detachments which landed on the arctic ice to carry out scientific work. In 1950 Somov led the Severnyy Polyus‐2 drifting station. In 1955 Somov went south to the Antarctic for the first time as leader of the First Soviet Antarctic Expedition, which established stations at Mirnyy, Pio‐nerskaya and Oazis. Returning to the USSR, Somov became Deputy Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and shortly afterward the permanent Soviet representative on the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research. In 1962–19...

First results of regular ozonesondes at Novolazarevskaya Station, 1985

Abstract During the 30th Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1985–86) 66 combined ozonesone/radiosonde releases were made from Novolazarevskaya Station over the period May‐December 1985. The sondes generally reached heights of 30 km. Highest values for partial ozone pressure (up to 150 mPa) were recorded in midwinter (July) at heights of 18–20 km, in association with a zone of intense low temperature (‐85° C). Lowest ozone levels (< 40 mPa) occurred in the Antarctic spring (October‐November) throughout extensive areas of the lower stratosphere (14–20 km). These values represent the lowest values of partial ozone pressure ever recorded from Antarctica.