China has launched the 22nd scientific Antarctic expedition by sending 115 scientists to South Pole on a 130-day mission to monitor the environment, inspect the geology and explore the possibility of a third research station of the country in that region.
The team left the Shanghai Port for the South Pole by a ship named "Snow Dragon" on Friday for the expedition.
Vice Director of China Polar Region Research Centre, Yang Huigen, said the team will make research on the data collected at China's 'Changcheng' and 'Zhongshan' research stations and tour the hinterland of the ice cap during their 130-day expedition.
The expedition projects include monitoring environment in Antarctic, inspecting the geology in the iceless zones, making an international joint testing of Global Positioning System and doing other researches on the glaciers and biology in the region. The team will also launch China's fourth inspection of the world famous Grove Mountain in one month time, said Yang, who was appointed chief scientist of the team.
Situated inside Princess Elizabeth Land, Grove Mountain is located about 460 kms from China's Zhongshan Station. The 3200-square-km area is composed of more than 60 islands and mountains which are not covered by ice and snow, and it is regarded one of the most spectacular areas in the South Pole.
{{/usCountry}}Situated inside Princess Elizabeth Land, Grove Mountain is located about 460 kms from China's Zhongshan Station. The 3200-square-km area is composed of more than 60 islands and mountains which are not covered by ice and snow, and it is regarded one of the most spectacular areas in the South Pole.
{{/usCountry}}Yang said they will also do some research and investigation in the area for the establishment of China's third scientific station in Antarctic.
The team is headed by Wei Wenliang, secretary of the Chinese Communist Party for State Oceanic Administration's polar region inspection office.