Scientists in Antarctica seek answers for world’s future
Turkish scientists conduct diverse studies in Antarctica, including environmental research, glacier monitoring and plastic pollution analysis, aiming to provide global insights
UNDER the auspices of the Turkish Presidency, the Ministry of Industry and Technology and coordinated by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK), Türkiye’s 8th National Antarctic Science Expedition continues its scientific research far from home, on Horseshoe Island in Antarctica.
The team of scientists conducted studies in various fields, such as environmental and pollution research, oceanography and hydrography, atmospheric and space observations, geology and geophysics, energy systems, meteorological measurements and the production of bathymetric maps.
Professor Ersan Başar, the leader of the expedition, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they have looked for answers to the questions about the future of the world with 22 different projects during a monthlong period.
Referring to the study “Distribution and Fingerprint Analysis of Dissolved Dispersed Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Sea Water of the Antarctic Peninsula,” which is among these projects, Başar explained that they were searching for the answer to where the petroleum pollution in the ocean water of Antarctica comes from.
Başar’s colleagues, Atilla Yılmaz and Doğaç Baybars Işıler, researched an answer to the question “Are the levels of humaninduced pollutants in the aquatic ecosystems of Horseshoe Island threatening the ecosystem?” with the project “Investigation of Human-induced Effects in Horseshoe Island Aquatic Ecosystems.”
In addition, research was conducted on how navigation and safety at sea can be further improved in polar regions.
Aybike Gül Karaoğlu, another member of the team, investigated whether there are human-induced pollutants in the Antarctic marine ecosystem, their quantity and content with the project “Determination of Anthropogenic Effects in the Marine and Coastal Ecosystem of Horseshoe Island.”
Medical personnel Bengüsu Mirasoğlu conducted studies on “how health services in polar regions can be improved to be better and ideal” with the study “VIII. National Antarctic Scientific Expedition Medical Consultancy and Medical Field Service.”
CHANGES IN GLACIERS
Expedition participant Erhan Aslan searched for the answer to the question, “Can empirical models be produced by monitoring the long-term changes in solar radiation and other components of the atmosphere in Antarctica?” with the study titled “Long-term Changes in Global Solar Radiation and Potential Effects in Antarctica.”
Fahri Karabulut investigated “to what extent the changes in glaciers occurred as a result of global climate change” with the project “Glacier Monitoring and 3D Modeling in Horseshoe Island, Antarctica, with UAV-GPR and UAV-Photogrammetry Observations.”
Expedition participant engineer Zafer Şahingöz searched for the answer to the question, “Can the maintenance and repair of the sensors that produce these data be done more accurately and stably by collecting and examining the data from the station?” in the study “Maintenance-Repair of Horseshoe Island Automatic Meteorology Observation Station.”
Chief engineer Yunus Aytaç Akdoğan searched for an answer to the question “How much is the annual mm-level geodynamic mobility of Dismal and Horseshoe islands?” with the project “Maintenance and Repair of Fixed GNSS Station and Collection of GNSS Data.”
Expedition participant Staff Sgt. Mehmet Cihan Erol worked on the project “Hydrographic Survey Works of Antarctica Horseshoe Island” to collect the depths required for nautical chart production, determine navigation hazards and identify dangerous areas that hinder navigation.
Professor Ertuğrul Ağırbaş searched for the answer to the question, “What is the current status of phytoplankton functional groups, nutrient dynamics and hydrographic characteristics that will contribute to the sustainable management of the Antarctic ecosystem under changing climate conditions and adaptation efforts to climate change?” with the project “Determination of Phytoplankton Functional Group Rates and Indicator Pigment Composition with HPLC Pigment Analysis in Horseshoe Island (Antarctica).”
PLASTIC POLLUTION
Expedition participant professor Ülgen Aytan, with his study “Plastic Pollution, Sources and Risk Analysis on Horseshoe Island in Antarctica,” asked, “What is the extent of plastic pollution, the fastest growing threat on our planet, in the Antarctic aquatic (marine and freshwater) ecosystem? What are its possible sources and what kind of risks do existing plastics pose for this special ecosystem?”
Associate professor Mehmet Korhan Erturaç, with his project “Mapping and Dating of Horseshoe Island Stepped Coastal Formations,” examined “how the melting of the glacier cover in Antarctica has affected the elevation of land areas in the last 10,000 years.”
Professor Mehtap Dursun, with her project “Determination of Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds in Water Samples in the Antarctic Continent by Stirring Bar Sorptive Extraction TDU-GCMS/MS Method,” investigated, “Are there micro-pollutants in the continental waters of the Antarctic region? If so, what is their level and origin?”
Professor Denizhan Vardar researched “how the seafloor sedimentary units are distributed, what are the characteristics and formation mechanisms of erosion and deposition areas, and what are the effects on the coast” with the project “Identification and Mapping of Glacial Structures of Horseshoe Island Shallow Seafloor and Nearshore Areas with Acoustic and High Discrimination UAV Photos and Determination of Recent Glacial Movements.”
Murat Özkatan, with his project “Paleomagnetism of Horseshoe Island: Determination of Tectonic and Paleomagnetism Changes, Marguerite Bay, Antarctica” project, Murat Özkatan sought answers to the questions, “How has the geological formation of Horseshoe Island, the tectonic movements of the Antarctic plate on which it is located, and how has the earth’s magnetic field changed over time in the southern magnetic pole region?”
NEXT-GENERATION BATTERIES
Expedition participant professor Nüket Sivri, with her study “Determination of Critical Raw Material (CRM) Concentrations in Polar Regions and Adaptation of the Potential Ecological Risk Index to Polar Regions,” asked: “How do CRMs, which are important for the sustainable functioning of industrial production and economy, affect the health of the Antarctic aquatic ecosystem? Are potential toxic effects and anthropogenic pressures from HABs observed in both polar regions? How different is the potential ecological risk index (PERI) adapted for the Antarctic Arctic from the index created in the Arctic?”
Regarding the “Development of an Energy Storage System Suitable for Polar Conditions” study, associate professor Hüseyin Ayhan Yavaşoğlu said: “Within the scope of the project, an energy storage system with new generation battery cells that can be used in harsh polar conditions was developed. We sought the answer to the question of how the new generation batteries will perform in polar conditions by testing the use of our system in the driving cycle specific to mobile vehicles.”
Expedition participant Oleg Vassilev, with his project “Glacier Monitoring and 3D Modeling Based on UAV-GPR Observations on Horseshoe Island,” sought the answer to the question, “Can we enrich the data set with a different approach for modeling and simulation of glaciers that respond to temperature increase?”.
Antonio Fernandez investigated “whether glaciation in the last 200 years has been faster than in the early Holocene” with his project “PARANTAR: Investigating the Holocene Glaciation Process in Relation to Natural Dynamics and Human Activities.”
Sofia Galban Mendez, with her project “MICROAIRPOLAR,” studied “biogeography, transport and adaptation of microorganisms in polar regions” and tried to find the answer to the question “How is the ability of microorganisms to spread through the air?”.
Shweta Dutta, with her project “Illumination-Induced Whistler Waves in Antarctica,” investigated “whether lightning strikes in the southeastern United States are linked to very low frequency (10 kHz) whistler waves over Antarctica’s Horseshoe Island.”
Kağan Gökhan Görgişen, with his “Science Communication Activities” study, conducted research aiming to “contribute to the training, development and preparation of the social infrastructure of qualified human resources,” which is the central focus and driving force of the National Technology Move.
Expedition participant Anadolu Agency (AA) photojournalist Şebnem Coşkun also aimed to “announce the outputs of Türkiye’s scientific expeditions to the polar regions to the whole world” with her photography, video and news projects on scientific studies carried out in polar expeditions, the effects of global climate change and living life.