#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. The North Pole self-propelled ice platform is able to be in autonomous navigation for about two years. This is where the importance of the project lies: the vessel will provide long-term access for scientific teams to the Central Arctic, which is still an underexplored region.
Scientists will be able to conduct continuous monitoring of the environment, set up experiments, observe high-latitude climatic phenomena, conduct oceanographic, geological, biological, hydrochemical, geophysical work. After a two-year period, the platform will return to the dock, where it will undergo the necessary maintenance and will resume its functions in the Arctic.
The displacement of the North Pole is more than ten thousand tons. The maximum autonomy of the station in terms of provisions is one year, in terms of fuel reserves – two years. The platform is equipped with an onboard scientific complex, consisting of 15 laboratories, and a mobile field camp for placement on ice floes. The North Pole research staff is 34 people.
“We dominate the Arctic. As part of this leadership, our president gave instructions. And the self-propelled ice platform, which can operate autonomously for two years, is the home of science in the Arctic ice. People can make discoveries, bring results, fruits that have so long been waited for. The platform should fly under the flag in July, and the first expedition will start in September”, said Alexander Kozlov, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources, at a meeting of the board of Roshydromet.
He also invited colleagues from Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to cooperate in the study of the Arctic.
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Text: Denis Kozhevnikov, Photo: Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute / aari.ru
